Blessing Not Burden | December 01, 2022

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crcna.org/justice

As we enter into the season of Advent, we invite you to follow along with our Advent devotional. World Renew, Resonate Global Mission, and CRCNA Social Justice are providing a devotional series for Advent 2022 called Prepare the Way.

Advent is inherently a season of preparation; we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming and prepare to welcome the second. We prepare our hearts for the day when “every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low” (Isaiah 40:4). Sign up to receive devotions over the next few weeks as our writers explore what it means to “prepare the way for the Lord.”

Support Permanent Immigration Solutions for DACA (and more!)

Although this summer marked the 10-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), DACA recipients are yet again living in uncertainty. On October 5, 2022, the Fifth Circuit Court ruled against the DACA program, siding with a July decision that the program was unlawful. This program was a temporary solution, granting work permits and protection from deportation to undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children. Current recipients are able to maintain their status for now, but no new applications will be processed. As it has for the past two years, the future of DACA is uncertain for both current recipients and pending applicants. Join us in asking Congress to prioritize permanent immigration solutions for DACA recipients, farm workers, and more.

Title 42 Use Ending

This month, a federal judge blocked the use of Title 42, giving the Biden administration 5 weeks to stop using the admission system under Title 42 and produce an alternative. Title 42 is an emergency policy which has been used during the pandemic to expel migrants at the border - without a basic screening for asylum. Since the beginning, Title 42 lacked legitimate public health rationale and instead denied individuals and families a basic right to apply for asylum.

We celebrate this huge milestone and pray that this will lead to a more just immigration system!

New Asylum Resource!

We’re sprucing up our resources in time for the new year! Check out our new Asylum Explainer and FAQs on our website.

Study Shows Evangelicals Support Immigration Reform

In a survey from Lifeway Research published in September, 80% of American Evangelicals (a vast majority!) said they would support immigration reform that “strengthens border security, establishes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, and provides a reliable number of screened, legal farmworkers”. While there are some differences in more specific beliefs, we’re encouraged to see this as a good starting point for healthy discussions on immigration in the church.

Let’s Talk Immigration

We’ve enjoyed facilitating our Church Between Borders workshop series at several schools this fall!

We can also facilitate this series at a church and tailor the experience to what fits best with your church. Looking to have a healthy discussion on immigration at your church but not sure where to start? Contact kdavid@crcna.org to learn more about our Church Between Borders workshop. If you are in West Michigan, we can come to you and facilitate the series and take the pressure off of you!

We've been working hard to spread the truth about the blessings of immigrants in our country and to counter myths that have the power to turn into policy that harms our immigrant brothers and sisters.

We can’t do it without you. Help continue this important work.

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