Ask President Obama for a Moratorium on Deportations
From Rev. Alison Harrington, Southside Presbyterian Church, Tucson, AZ
My heart froze as I thought about Daniel Neyoy Ruiz, who was the first person to go into Sanctuary at Southside Presbyterian Church in 2014. Since then he has gotten two stays of removal, each one only guarantees one year of protection from deportation.
We all hoped that he would get Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) from deportation through the President’s executive actions on immigration. But now he will be waiting in limbo along with another 4 million undocumented people who could have applied for temporary protection.
It was a tie, a 4-4 decision from Supreme Court justices on Texas vs. United States. The tie vote means there is no legal precedent from the Supreme Court, and the lower court’s temporarily block on DAPA and DACA+ remains in effect.
This is a heart-breaking turn of events, but still we must come together as people of faith to offer the bold prophetic voice to President Obama, and ask him to stop separating families and tearing them apart.
Following the leadership of the immigrants’ rights community, I invite you to sign on to the letter to President Obama, urging him to put a moratorium on deportations until the DAPA / DACA+ case is reheard and decided when a ninth justice is confirmed to the Supreme Court.
It’s the only way to protect immigrant families and the only way we can address this grave injustice.
On the petition page, there’s an invitation to name your family members – the people it would break your heart to be separated from.
For Daniel and his family, Southside Presbyterian will once again be fighting to extend his stay of removal, but very few who face deportation will be so fortunate.
This is why we must together and stand in solidarity with immigrant families living in fear of being torn apart, and we demand President Obama take action to stop the raids and halt all deportations now!
In solidarity and with gratitude,
Rev. Alison Harrington
Southside Presbyterian
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