UUSJ Applauds UU Decision to Sue the Administration
We must defend the broad protections for performing religiously motivated actions
Washington, D.C. — The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) joined more than two dozen Christian and Jewish religious denominations and associations on February 11 in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s new policy that allows immigration raids, arrests, and other enforcement actions at houses of worship.
The new policy empowered enforcement actions that could interrupt religious services in furtherance of the Administration’s mass deportation plans. The Trump Administration’s rescission (memo) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “sensitive locations” policy that had restricted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting immigration raids, arrests, and other enforcement actions at houses of worship is a violation of the broad protections for individuals performing religiously motivated actions.
See the UU World Article and lawsuit filed by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law.
Pablo DeJesús, Executive Director of UUSJ, stated:
“We support the UUA’s decision to join the suit. We applaud the UUA becoming a plaintiff.
This action is for justice. It is a manifestation of our long history and firm tradition that Unitarian Universalists will lift our voices and align our actions to help those who are vulnerable, those who are in the greatest need. That we respond to the root harms and systems of oppression in our society.
In our view, the new administration has selected immigration for its assault on the Constitution, our norms, and our liberties. We hear from many Unitarian Universalists as well as others—be they advocates, activists, or clergy– Americans fear these policies will start with immigrants, and Trans people, and will conclude by curtailing the rights and freedoms of everyone.
Siding with love is not always about the soft and flexible, as often it’s about the firm and resolute. The rock solid commitment to what must happen as a matter of ethics, values, principles and, in our case, faith.
That is what this case does. It shows we do not act from fear, but with courage and stedfast diligence.
We know the antidote to despair is action. We shall not succumb to idle consternation.
The case declares we are in solidarity with the vulnerable. We will show tender compassion and care for those under assault by the state, and we will defend our age old practices of sanctuary and succor, and our religious liberties.
In this season of injustice, and indifference, we will be called to act on many wavelengths and make use of many strategies. We are pleased the UUA has elected to engage on the judicial front and defend our faith tradition’s shared religious values, of interdependence, pluralism, justice, equity, generosity, and transformation.
As a matter of moral principle, this is very simple: ICE should not be allowed in our schools, hospitals, public demonstrations—and never, ever, in our houses of worship!
We join the UUA in putting love at the center, and thank them for striving to put our public laws in right relationship with our public morality.”
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