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Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity Calls on People of Faith to Stand Together With DACA Recipients to Defend DACA

Flashlight Vigils, Take Action

“You Are Our Light”

The struggle for justice is protracted and unending. The more we gain, the greater our opposition. Yet, we are not deterred and we will not give up. Instead, our commitment to keep justice alive for all people remains strong and redoubled. That is why the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity invites people across all religions to come together in candlelight/flashlight vigils to support our neighbors, friends, and colleagues who are DACA recipients and their families who face the threat of having DACA protection removed.

We express our firm commitment to DACA recipients and their families, acknowledging the anxiety in their lives as their futures are being played as pawns in a political game. We remember their courageous years of struggle as undocumented young persons to demand recognition of their humanity, demand their standing as Americans and ultimately creating the political achievement of the DACA Executive Order in 2012. They have shown that we as a nation need their leadership and contributions. And indeed, we have received so much. The past five years of DACA have shown the impactful ways they have contributed economically and with their leadership, when they were given a chance. They have been brightly shining lights in times of political darkness. They have inspired many of us in our own commitment to struggle for immigrant justice.

We are witnessing the continued abandonment of promises and hope declared by the immediate past Administration under President Barak Obama. It was not an easy victory that rendered a new course toward security and protection for undocumented immigrant young people who worked hard to preserve the right to stay and contribute. Now, we, together, face the undeserved and unfair callous shenanigans of hard-hearted, stubborn, insensitive, and uncaring political leaders.

Our religious teachings guide our call to action. We ask our sisters and brothers of faith across all religious traditions to join us in standing in solidarity with DACA recipients who need our public witness. We affirm and uphold that they are Americans and full members of our families and communities. We refuse to accept any attempt to return to standards, policies, and practices that treat any persons as second class citizens. We offer our religious commitment to act with them in defense of their rights to dignity and full personhood.

In this precious period of political posturing, we need to re-double our commitment and conviction to stand boldly with the most vulnerable members of our society.
Join the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity and call your network of faith congregations and community organizations to:

(1) organize public candlelight/flashlight vigils as public witness to your stance with DACAmented individuals and bright lights for our nation. .
(2) create spaces of prayer, support and consolation to restore resilience, hope, and courage in the face of the unknown.
(3) contact your congressional representative to defend DACA

Read DACA Reflection from IM4HI

Let us know if you are interested in hosting a candlelight/flashlight vigil event.

Register your event here along with other national actions: http://defenddaca.com/

We can and we must stand together because “Every human person is sacred across all borders.”

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