Statement from Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
News outlets are reporting that the federal Border Patrol deployment has been called off for San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area. While we welcome this news, we demand an immediate and full departure of CBP and other DHS agents.
This is a direct result of the strength and unity of our community. Over the past two days and weeks, thousands of Bay Area neighbors, community members, faith leaders, and families took to the streets to ensure the security and safety of our community members, especially those most likely to be targeted by ICE.
ICE Continues to Harm Immigrants and Communities
While this announcement may bring some short-term relief, we remain deeply concerned about the ongoing harm ICE continues to inflict daily through racial profiling, arrests, family separation, detentions and deportations. As of June this year 2123, people in the Bay Area have been arrested and detained by ICE. More have been arrested since then.
Additionally, we condemn the use of military force by federal agents during an Interfaith Prayer Vigil led by Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity on Thursday where more than 200 faith leaders and community members gathered for several hours in prayer and song. During the peaceful gathering, federal agents set off two flashbangs, fired a pepperball into the face of a faith leader at point-blank range,and recklessly ran over the foot of a lay leader on the safety team. We are also aware that later that same evening a driver of a U-Haul truck drove backwards towards the Coast Guards and was fired upon when they did not obey orders to stop. The van driver and an innocent bystander were injured from the live bullets.
“ICE has once again shown its violence and disregard for human lives,“ said Rev. Jorge Bautista, minister of the United Church of Christ who was directly fired upon with a pepperball. “ICE is committing acts of violence with impunity against our neighbors, peaceful protestors and faith leaders. These assaults show ICE’s complete disregard for safety, religious freedom, and the First Amendment.”
“Let’s be clear, none of this would have happened if Trump did not deploy unwanted federal DHS agents to the Bay,” said Rabbi Cat Zavis of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue. “But as it says in Ecclesiastes: Two are better than one, for if one falls, the other will lift up their friend. When Trump comes for one of us, he will face the strength and solidarity of all of us. We stand united. We will protect our communities. We will love the “stranger.”“A deployment of federal agents costs taxpayers untold millions of dollars. This is an immoral use of resources that does not reflect the faith traditions we hold dear, said Rev. Ben Daniel of Montclair Presbyterian Church in Oakland. “If the federal Government wants to help the Bay Area, they should allocate the funds being used to invade our communities to improve our communities. Help us build safe, adequate, and affordable housing, help us pay teachers a living wage and fund our schools, help us fund better public transportation, health care and climate resilience.”
Now Is the Time for Action & Courage
While we are encouraged that mass organizing and collective action has worked, we must remain vigilant and continue action to protect neighbors and stop the escalating arrests, terror and detentions at courts, workplaces, and homes.
“We call on our elected leaders to do everything in their power to protect all of our residents and ensure no state or local resources are used for federal immigration enforcement, including prisons and jails. In the spirit of fairness and mercy, we affirm that all people, even those who have past convictions, served their time, paid their debt to society and transformed their lives, have families, and are beloved members of our society who deserve compassion and the chance to stay with their loved ones without the threat of cruel double punishment,” said Rev. Deborah Lee of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. “Every Californian deserves safety and belonging,”
No one deserves to be detained and deported, including those who have past convictions- Uphold the fundamental human and legal right for people to migrate and be treated with dignity. “Now is not the time to mince words – the Trump administration’s policies towards immigrants and the communities that welcome them is fascism. They are rooted in a divisive, dehumanizing hatred that seeks to eliminate anyone who does not fit or fall in line with their idea of what is ‘right,’ said Rev. Ranwa Hammamy, Unitarian Universalist Minister. “We must show this administration, our communities, and especially our immigrant beloveds, that faith sides with welcome and care.”
Julie Litwin, chair of Kehilla Community Synagogue Immigration Committee, commented, “There is no greater obligation than to love our neighbors. Terrorizing and mistreating those who have come here seeking safety is abhorrent and counter to every religious tradition. The faith community will continue to stand for compassion and against cruelty.”
Now is not a time for silence or complacency—it is a time for action and courage. Across the country, from SF to LA, from Portland to Chicago, and in DC and NY, our numbers, our conviction, and our love will carry us through this storm. Please join us in the days and weeks ahead.
Take Action with us:
- Join weekly court vigils outside the immigration courts in SF and Concord: https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2025/08/interfaith-court-vigils/
- To join a Bay Area Interfaith Signal thread or email listserve to get alerts on faith-rooted activities, contact office@im4humanintegrity.org
- Donate to support emergency funds for families impacted by detention.
- Sign-up to get alerts from Bay Resistance to hear about actions to take across the Bay
If you see ICE Activity, please report to your local Rapid Response hotline: https://www.ccijustice.org/carrn
