The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Nov. 9 against the Obama administration’s attempt to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.
President Obama created the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expanded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs by executive action in 2014.
In response, Texas and 26 other states sued the federal government, and on Nov. 6 they won their case, Texas v. United States, 2-1. The Justice Department will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
Sojourners has long been in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, and opposes the Fifth Circuit’s decision. Sojourners founder and president Jim Wallis released the following statement on the ruling:
Two judges have decided to put politics over people, and now millions of families are at risk of being senselessly torn apart by deportation. This decision is not justice. It is not what welcoming the stranger and caring for the least of these looks like.
Christians must continue to fight alongside our immigrant brothers and sisters, many of whom are members of our churches, so that everyone can enjoy the flourishing that God intends for us all. We must continue to condemn the hateful rhetoric around immigration, we must continue the fight to fix our broken system by enacting comprehensive immigration reform, and we must continue to rally all people of faith to the cause.
And we will continue to put politicians on notice: any attempt to deport millions of people will be met by massive civil disobedience by Christians and our allies.
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