Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens is a retired pastor, author of “The Genius of Justice” and adjunct faculty member in World Religions, Franklin University.
Since the ICEassault on Minneapolis, the White House and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have shifted their strategy from invading blue cities to working under the radar to make living conditions intolerable for unauthorized immigrants.
Traffic stops based on racial profiling, rejection of asylum requests, visa enforcement at airports, deputizing local police to seek out immigrants, deporting residents with expired Temporary Protected Status.
These threats are real. People are living in fear across the U.S, and Ohio, hoping not to be arrested. In particular, the situation is worsening for TPS residents
in Springfield. People are being arrested andankle bracelets applied to track them.
We need humane reform
I read Gov. Mike DeWine'sNew York Times guest essayabout immigration reform. But does his leadership stop there? Can’t our elected officials get TPS extended? A bill is pending in the US Senate. Replace fear with hope. Then pass a humane, bipartisan immigration reform bill.
While we are safe in our homes, schools and at our jobs, the threat of deportation is worsening every day for many people. They are afraid to leave their homes. In July, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE arrested 2,000 people a day. And last week, DHS started Haitian TPS resident flights to Haiti.
Polls might show Americans want a bipartisan immigration reform bill, but our actions don’t reflect that.
Being in the U.S. illegally is a crime. It’s a misdemeanor, not a felony, and deportation seems awfully harsh. Overstaying a visa is not a crime, but “unlawful presence” charges by ICE can lead to deportation. Many legislators think this penalty is also overkill. But where is the legislation to correct the situation?
Immigration is the White House’s red meat issue. To them, as was noted on their webpage, “unauthorized immigrants are aliens – non-human invaders – not our neighbors, fellow churchgoers and colleagues… Deport them all.”
I know there are lots of folks that find the White House immigration policy offensive – Un-American, actually. But despite our moral outrage, what are we doing?
For sure, we cannot turn our backs on members of our immigrant community because white Christian nationalists in the White House are terrified of living in a majority-minority nation.
We are not powerless
It’s time for us to reframe this issue from deportation of illegals to the criticality of illegal migrants to our economic and community viability. It is time to compel Congress to pass a humane bipartisan immigration reform bill, like the Dignity Act, and give them legal status and extend Temporary Protection Status for 350,000 Haitians.
We need to adopt columnist and authorDavid Brooks’plan – form coalitions of coalitions and take to the streets in mass protest, comparable to the Civil Rights Movement and the Anti-War Movement of the ’60s and ’70s.
No more No Kings rallies. Rather, layer the No Kings folks with people and organizations that can get this legislative agenda enacted: law firms, universities, students, nonprofits, corporations, church groups, local and state officials, especially governors, chambers of commerce, agricultural-construction-service-health care industry companies and national associations. Groups and people and sectors who work with or pray with unauthorized migrants.
Such a coalition of coalitions could influence legislators in DC, key state capitols and voters throughout the country.
I had hoped that, because 70% of unauthorized migrants are Christian and 60% Catholic, a church group would have taken the lead. But that has not happened. The American Catholic Bishops have spoken out, but their proclamations have not led to protests or legislative initiatives.
When you realize 70% of our agricultural workers are unauthorized migrants, 30% of construction workers, 27% of our service industries, 40% of people working in assisted care and senior living facilities, you easily realize that this crisis impacts you and your pocketbook. It is in your interest to support a coalition of coalitions to fight for social justice, economic justice, family well-being and real Christian values.
Unauthorized immigrants make our economy work. Steven Miller is dead wrong – they are not stealing your jobs. They are working with and for us.
This isn’t a US vs. THEM issue. These workers are part of our communities.
Please read Pastor Ruby’s July 11 Dispatch guest opinion piece – "Springfield’s Haitian neighbors deserve better." His advice is quite precise – unjust laws must change and voters can correct this travesty.
Let’s stop mass deportations, pass a TPS extension, frame a humane, bipartisan immigration reform bill. Now.
Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens is a retired pastor, author of “The Genius of Justice” and adjunct faculty member in World Religions, Franklin University.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What we are doing to immigrants is inhumane. The White House is terrified | Opinion
