On behalf of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, we are deeply concerned over the president’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We grieve this action, which will create fear and suffering within our immigrant communities, and we urge you to take appropriate action as quickly as possible to protect these vulnerable youth and young adults.
Young persons protected by DACA have been able to work, attend school, and raise families—and so they have contributed to the economy and to the life and culture of the communities where they live. The termination of DACA puts these nearly 800,000 young persons at risk for deportation. It also threatens to separate families and harm the welfare of the communities and economies where they live.
We believe all of our immigrant neighbors, as people created in God’s image, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We are called to love our neighbor—all of our neighbors—and our sacred scriptures proclaim that we are to welcome the “stranger” in our midst. We are calling upon all people of faith and good will to join us in offering love and hospitality to our immigrant neighbors.
We join with our brothers and sisters in faith across the country to call on you to affirm our nation’s greatest values of compassion and respect for the human dignity of all people by moving as quickly as possible to restore DACA and protect immigrant youth by supporting The Dream Act of 2017.
We hold you in prayer for all the important work that you do.
barbara vanhorn
protect DACA