“Long ago I gave these commands to my people: ‘You must see that justice is done, and must show kindness and mercy to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, or foreigners who live among you, or anyone else in need. And do not plan ways of harming one another.’” (Zechariah 7,9-10)
We are at a pivotal moment in our nation and in our world—when there are more vulnerable people on the move than at any other point in history. More than 70 million migrants, refugees, and others have fled their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, and other life-threatening situations. As prophetic advocates in our community, following the Prophet Zechariah and all the other Prophets, we are called to name the injustices our displaced sisters and brothers experience, and we are called to lead the way to hope and justice through prayer and action.
We are also called to recognize that many displaced families are forced from their homes and that we have a responsibility to not only pray for and welcome them, but to work for change. It is especially important for us to be together and make our voices resound in support for all who have been displaced or forced to migrate, championing the sacredness and dignity of every human life.
Let us pray. “Almighty God, millions of our brothers and sisters are on the move around the world, not by choice, but by desperation. We encounter their stories in the news and their faces in members of our own communities. We pray that we may lead the way to bring about God’s vision of peace and justice to all, and hope and love to those on the move near and far. For those forced to flee violence, we pray they find safety. For those seeking economic opportunity, we pray they find secure livelihoods. For those trying to support and protect their families, we pray they find communities to embrace them. For those searching for peace and hope, we pray that we may be bearers of the Good News. We are called to be prophetic advocates in this world to call out injustice and be heralds of truth and love. We pray that all migrants, refugees, and displaced persons may find safe and loving communities and the opportunity to thrive. And we pray that we may have the courage to stand and act in defense of human dignity for all our brothers and sisters in need. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
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Beware of supposed simple solutions to complicated problems, like immigration. For example: asylum is a protection granted to foreign nationals already in the United States or arriving at the border who meet the international law definition of a “refugee.” The United Nations 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol define a refugee as a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her home country, and cannot obtain protection in that country, due to past persecution or a well-founded fear of being persecuted in the future “on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” Congress incorporated this definition into U.S. immigration law in the Refugee Act of 1980. As a signatory to the 1967 Protocol, and through U.S. immigration law, the United States has legal obligations to provide protection to those who qualify as refugees. The Refugee Act established two paths to obtain refugee status—either from abroad as a resettled refugee or in the United States as an asylum seeker.
