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Public Policy Statement on Refugees

By November 24, 2015No Comments

Our Leadership Team, working closely with our Public Policy Team, our new Interreligious Team and our anti racism Team (Illinois Christians Encountering Racism, ICER) has adopted the following public statement. It is being released to the press and legislators this morning. Please share with any members of media you have contact with and any legislators in your district and others you feel would benefit from it as well as your staff and congregations. It is also on our Facebook page. “You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:19, NRSV

Blessings, Laurie

“The Leadership Team of the Illinois Conference of Churches, in light of recent acts of terrorism, issues the following policy statement and invites our members, which includes 13 Christian denominations, to join us in affirming our responsibility to welcome refugees who seek asylum in our country. We trust the screening process for refugees, already in practice, to do what it is intended to do. We call on Governor Bruce Rauner to follow federal law relating to refugees. We are particularly offended by the suggestion that any group of people would be singled out for exclusion and particularly by the suggestion any group would be asked to wear labels or have separate registration. By giving in to fear we are creating further division in our communities. We strongly denounce all acts of terrorism and offer condolences and sympathy to all victims and their families. In making this statement we are keenly aware of the scriptures on which our faith is based and how our savior was once a refugee seeking shelter in a foreign land while fleeing oppression.”