FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Michael Mershon, Director of Advocacy and Communications

Email: mmershon@sojo.net

Phone: 202-745-4654

 

Rev. Jim Wallis Puts Politicians on Notice – Mass Deportations will lead to Mass Civil Disobedience

November 5, 2015

Washington, DC – In his weekly column for Sojourners and The Huffington Post, Rev. Jim Wallis promised that “any...politician who proposes to deport eleven million undocumented immigrants” will meet “massive civil disobedience.”  Rev. Wallis stated that Christian leaders “will do all that we can to disrupt the ‘management’ of a political deportation plan” that he says is “counter to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

          The Sojourners President and Founder also called on newly-elected Speaker of the House Paul D. Ryan to consider his position on immigration reform.  In the column, Rev. Wallis stated that Mr. Ryan’s pledge to the so-called Freedom Caucus to not bring up immigration reform is the second pledge the Wisconsin Republican has made on the issue.  Recalling the first, Rev. Wallis wrote that “[Speaker] Ryan called me at the Sojourners office, offering to help Christians pass comprehensive immigration reform.”  He also said that “[Speaker] Ryan has told [Rev. Wallis] and other Christian leaders that he believes…immigration reform is good for families, our communities, and our economy.”

          Rev. Wallis and Sojourners have pushed for comprehensive immigration reform in the past and continue to call the U.S. Government to heed Pope Francis’ words that Americans should “welcome the stranger”.  Sojourners was part of a push by Evangelical Christians to convince Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform in 2013 and 2014 before a bill that passed the Senate was killed in the House.

Read Jim Wallis’ full column here.

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