May/June Update: Advocacy Connections

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C.
– The Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director, ELCA Witness in Society

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: May/June 2022

The May/June issue of ELCA Advocacy Connections was prepared for distribution on May 25, 2022. While these brief updates on activity in which our ELCA Witness in Society federal staff is engaged are never an expansion of national news or a complete picture, today especially we are aware they don’t touch our corporate reflections, including on the horror of the shooting in Uvalde, Tex. and on observance of the second anniversary of the death of George Floyd. In our advocacy we continue to seek meaningful opportunities to support policies that increase gun safety. Federally at this moment, we anticipate an Executive Order today from President Biden to increase accountability and transparency in policing. The ELCA introduced in 2019 a 60-Day Journey Toward Justice in a Culture of Gun Violence which provides some resources for our prayer and action. In our work and ministry, and our individual discipled lives, may we turn to our Lord for comfort, guidance and strength, and steadfastly do all we can personally and publicly.

HOUSING FIRST SIGN-ON OPPORTUNITY: Congregations and other ministries are invited to add their names by May 30 to a letter to Congress in support of the Housing First model. The letter (read in full) was organized with the National Low Income Housing Coalition (in which the ELCA is a member), and the ELCA has joined the interfaith and religious service provider letter to Congress in support of the Housing First model and opposition to policy changes that would undermine its use.

Despite a lack of investment in housing resources in recent years, the innovative uses of Housing First as an approach to homelessness have demonstrated a high statistical success rate nationally. The letter to lawmakers comes as rates of homelessness have remained nearly level – even as staggering housing costs, the pandemic, and other factors would otherwise suggest a large surge in displacement.

If your ministry or congregation wants to sign before the May 30 deadline, the signature form for the letter is found at https://forms.office.com/r/Nx8VFqk8Hb

OP-ED ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM: Working together, Deacon Nick Bates of Hunger Ohio and ELCA federal advocacy staff crafted and pitched a piece to a Cleveland news source reflecting on policy before Congress and compassionate criminal justice. Each of us reading ELCA Advocacy Connections can make our voices heard, together representing a strong network of prayerful, concerned citizens living out our baptism in discipled lives.

“As a Christian, I know that justice means recognizing the human capacity for growth and redemption. And as a leader in the [ELCA], I believe that human dignity is God’s gift to every person. That’s why I urge U.S. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown to support the package of sentencing reform bills currently pending in Congress,” Deacon Bates wrote. Find locations in the ELCA-affiliated state public policy office network here. Read his full opinion piece, “As a Christian, I believe in compassionate criminal justice. Ohio’s senators should, too,” from Cleveland.com. Interested in writing your own on a policy issue that concerns you in which you have experience? Use the resource “Writing a Letter to the Editor” or the video “How Do I Use Media for Impact?” for pointers.

INTERNATIONAL POLICY DEVELOPMENTS: The House of Representatives passed two bills that ELCA advocacy staff has been working on: the Global Malnutrition Prevention Act and the Burma Act of 2021. Thank you for your Lutheran voices of support. Advocacy attention now shifts to the Senate side to push for passage there.

In Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition and Iran-backed Houthi rebels agreed to a two-month truce, agreeing to halt all military operations in Yemen and across its borders. Advocacy will continue in urging the U.S. government to stop supplying weapons, spare parts, maintenance services and logistical support to Saudi Arabia.

FEDERAL INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL REPORT: The Department of the Interior released an investigative report (5/11/22) laying the groundwork to address the trauma and legacy of federal Indian boarding school policies. The ELCA is committed to understanding the Church’s role and supporting healing for survivors, and an advocacy opportunity will soon be posted in our Action Center.

The experience of the ELCA, and of members and siblings among Indigenous people of North America, is not separate from this federal study. For example, in the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod, the Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) group held discussions about the Saint Paul Industrial School which operated at one time as an Indian Boarding School in Clontarf, Minn. Their March 24 dialogue was a chance to look closer into what led this small town to build and operate such a program and examine the ongoing impact of Indian Boarding Schools, including “ways in which suppression keeps us from rumbling with our past.”

UKRAINE AND AFGHAN MIGRANT UPDATES: The President shared his $33 billion request for more security and economic assistance for Ukraine, including the “Uniting for Ukraine” initiative. Notably, the request also includes an Afghan Adjustment Act. Attention now turns to Congress for passage.

As of April, there were over 7.7 million displaced people in Ukraine. The “Uniting for Ukraine” initiative seeks to streamline the process for Ukrainians abroad to come to the United States via a specialized parole program that lasts up to two years (more information on the Department of Homeland Security website). Ukrainians should seek information first before making travel arrangements.

Additionally, the next few weeks are especially critical for advocates to make their voices heard to pass an Afghan Adjustment Act. Use the ELCA Action Center to add your voice through a customizable Action Alert.

Of additional migration impact, a federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction to block the Biden administration from ending the mass expulsions of migrants under the Title 42 pandemic-era rule. “Migrants, advocates in the faith community and public health experts have exhaustively argued that restoring asylum and protecting public health can be done together,” writes Giovana Oaxaca, ELCA program director for migration in an ELCA Advocacy Blog post on Title 42. Our advocacy continues to pursue fair safe, and humane asylum policy in the United States.

BUFFALO MASS SHOOTING: Advocacy continues to be part of our response to grief and anger again unveiled after the killing of 10 people in a racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store on May 14. As legislative responses surface in Congress, ELCA staff will make available outlets for our voices in the process.

“Churches have a foundational role in eradicating racism and white supremacy in society. We must take real and lasting action now—through education, relationship-building with Historic Black Churches, ongoing anti-racism education, advocacy, and self-reflection,” wrote the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, ELCA presiding bishop, in a statement (5/19/22).

The bishop of the ELCA Upstate New York Synod wrote, “Let us be of one mind. We in the Upstate New York Synod and in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America reject racism and a white-supremacy worldview and mindset. We renounce the ways scripture has been used to support genocide, enslavement of people, oppression, and mass incarceration. We acknowledge, lament, and repent in the ways we have been complicit in a white dominate culture which supports competitive individualism, binary ways of problem solving, seeking comfort over reparations, and centering power within, thereby marginalizing the experience, voice, and thoughts of others.” Bishop Lee Miller II’s letter can be read in full here.

Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

Farm Bill Advocacy

This blog is an invitation into learning more about the farm bill, farm bill advocacy and ways to get involved. It expands on information in the ELCA World Hunger’s Global Farm Challenge Youth Action Guide’s advocacy page.

The farm bill is legislation passed every five years that has a tremendous impact on hunger in the United States and globally. The current farm bill expires in 2023, so the process is ramping up – where the programs covered in the bill are debated, refreshed and ultimately passed by Congress toward being signed into law. Now is the time for our input and advocacy to shape the next farm bill with priorities that draw us closer to a world where all are fed!

These are empowering words from John Johnson, ELCA Program Director for Domestic Policy: “You don’t have to be an expert [to do advocacy], you just need to care .” Recognizing, though, that a better understanding of the policy you are advocating on will boost your confidence, let’s dig in. What exactly is the farm bill, and why is it important?

What is the farm bill?

The farm bill is an omnibus bill, meaning it has several different parts all joined together in a single bill. Some of the different aspects of the farm bill include:

Nutrition
International Food Aid
Rural Development
Environmental and Land Conservation
Research and Development

An ELCA farm bill resource was prepared in 2018 which breaks down the different components of the bill, and what the ELCA was advocating for within the bill, including honoring land claims by Indigenous Peoples. An update for 2023 will be posted to ELCA.org/resources/advocacy, but many of the basics are the same. If you are interested in a more in-depth history of the bill, “The History of the United States Farm Bill ” from the Library of Congress is a great place to start and includes many archived photos.

Why does the farm bill matter?

The farm bill affects everyone. This policy connects to your community locally and globally, such as healthy food access for low-income families, food waste reduction, conservation practices, rural development and much more. The ELCA supports a farm bill that will promote a strong and resilient food-supply chain and provide needed nutrition through domestic and international programs. Our advocacy as Lutherans in this process will draw attention to faith-based priorities to end hunger and create a more sustainable world through this policy in our lives and the lives of our neighbors.

Take Action

✓ Sign up for the ELCA Advocacy Network.

The farm bill is still in the preparatory phase. Sign up here for the network to get alerts so that you can take action at critical points during the bill’s development and find out about advocacy actions in other areas of interest.

✓ Write your own Farm Bill prayer.

Reread the prayer at the beginning of this blog. Think about the different parts to it, and how many people are involved in bringing food to our plates. Create a list of at least 10 different jobs involved in bringing food to the table. Using the prayer as a template, write your own prayer about your community, naming people and professions involved in the process. Ask your worship leader to use it during the Prayers of the People in your next worship service. Share your prayer on social media using #ELCAfarmprayers and tag us @ELCAadvocacy.

✓ Visit a farm.

Connect with a local farmer or rancher to talk to them about their work. You can ask them questions about how the farm bill affects them. You can use this story and what you learn when you write to your legislator about farm bill priorities. Don’t forget to thank them for their work!

✓ Get to know your representatives.

Building relationships with your representatives is important. Use House.gov to find your congressional representative. Write an email introducing yourself and your interest in the farm bill, and ask them what their priorities in the farm bill are.

✓ Lead a service project.

Invite your youth group or congregation to study hunger facts (like “Fact Sheet: Hunger Is a Racial Equity Issue” and other tools at ELCA.org/resources/advocacy).

Make connections to impacts of policy with a service event like a soup super, garden planting, refugee assistance or other activity.

Check to see if your congregation, synod or an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office offers activities you can join supporting justice, hunger relief or creation care – and participate (or start one!).

✓ Connect with us.

Have questions for us or just want to connect with someone to learn more about advocacy? You can email washingtonoffice@elca.org or follow us on social media @ELCAadvocacy.

Devotional: Steps Forge the Path

by Sandra Roper, 2021-22 Hunger Advocacy Fellow [about the author]

Sometimes it feels like my whole life revolves around the question “what’s next?” There’s this notion that “next” is a jump, one thing to another, and that the next thing must be substantially different from the thing before in order to be “new.” I’m starting to think that’s not the case.

“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

What strikes me the most about the passage from Isaiah is the “way in the wilderness” that is being created. Unlike the image of something springing forth, spontaneous and recognizable as new, a new path being taken doesn’t really look like a new path for the first few steps. Sometimes when you’re walking you realize it’s a new path, but it can be hard and confusing to find your way. Sometimes, it’s not until you look back, that you realize you’ve been forging a new path and not just wandering lost.

When I look back on the path that brought me to this year as a Hunger Advocacy Fellow, it’s easy to see the way decisions built off of each other to bring me here. At the time though, those decisions didn’t always feel purposeful or important. Quite honestly, a lot of the time I just felt lost. The past few years in particular have been challenging. Global pandemic, graduating from college and close personal loss among other things have made answering the question “what’s next?” difficult to navigate. And yet, looking back I can see how all those little decisions have built into something bigger.

Five years ago, I do not think I could have articulated how advocacy and justice are an integral part of living out God’s call to love our neighbors and our world. When I entered college, I joined a campus ministry focused on doing justice. I had opportunities and relationships that centered on deeply listening to the stories of others and walking with rather than talking over. Today, faith as a driving force for service and justice is at the center of what I do as a Hunger Advocacy Fellow.

The work that God does in the world is not always spontaneous. Advocacy is a long-term commitment to caring for our neighbors and our world. I hear the phrase “advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint” a lot from colleagues, and it is a loving reminder of endurance and hope. It is a long process of progress and setbacks and progress again. Sometimes, we need the reminder to stop and look around at what is happening.

I don’t know what’s next for me after this year, but I do know that whatever comes next in my journey after this year will continue building this new path that God is calling me towards.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sandra Roper studied English and Germanic Studies in college and has worked with other faith-based organizations, including Lutheran World Federation, while she was an undergraduate. She shares communications responsibilities with the ELCA Witness in Society staff, including social media and writing duties, and supports advocacy advancement in various ways. She enjoys hiking in her free time, particularly in the fall.

May Update: UN and State Edition

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month. Full list and map of sppos available.

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The Twenty-First session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) took place from 25 April-6 May 2022. The theme this year was “Indigenous peoples, business, autonomy and the human rights principles of due diligence including free, prior and informed consent”.

Lutherans participated virtually and in person in the two-week event with a delegation of 5 representatives from the ELCA and the United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia.

In addition to attending the official sessions, Lutherans co-sponsored side events with several Ecumenical and Interfaith partners on the occasion of the Forum on Wednesday, May 4. The first event – “Faith-based Indigenous conversations” featured Vance Blackfox, Director, Indigenous Ministries & Tribal Relations, ELCA. The second event was a multi-faith worship service under the theme “All Our Relatives Live as One”.

Useful resources:

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
A Declaration of the ELCA to American Indian and Alaska Native People
Indigenous Peoples reflect on Economy of Life – A webinar on 22 April 2021 hosted by the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Methodist Council and the Council for World Mission.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

COLORADO LEGISLATURE ADJOURNS: The Colorado General Assembly adjourned on Wednesday, May 11. The Assembly took up a number of significant priorities on Lutheran Advocacy’s agenda, including school meals, criminal record sealing, housing support, workforce development, health benefits, and basic cash assistance. Our thorough write-up of the session and our priorities will be available in the coming weeks on our website, lam-co.org.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SYNOD ASSEMBLY: The Rocky Mountain Synod met for its annual assembly in Loveland, Colorado, from May 9-11. Voting members had several opportunities to engage with advocacy efforts around the synod, including adding their voices to the ongoing listening process for a New Social Statement around Civics & Faith.

BALLOT MEASURE SEASON UPCOMING: Colorado has a generous direct-democracy provision in its constitution, meaning we get more ballot measures than most states. Follow our e-alerts and social media to learn more about our upcoming work on statewide ballot measures in 2022. It promises to be a busy season!

Maryland

Delaware-Maryland Synod – demdsynod.org

The Rev. Lee Hudson, Assistant to the Bishop for Public Policy

The 2022 session of the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) was in session from January 12 to April 11, and it was productive for stated ELCA policy interests. By arrangement of the Delaware-Maryland Synod Bishop, the Rev. Bill Gohl, issues of interest are addressed under the auspices of his office, especially where a constituency interest may be present. These topics include creation care, racial justice, criminal justice, sustainable livelihood, and access to healthcare. There were 12 pieces of legislation that passed where documented support was sent to the MGA, as the legislation fell within the ELCA policy base. This included:

Commitment to net-zero by 2045 with implementing policies;
Protection of old growth forests;
Expansion of the health insurance exchange with subsidies to small business and not-for-profit;
Market stabilization of prior insurance exchange expansion;
Medicaid expansion to include undocumented pregnant women and children;
Medicaid expansion to include doula services;
Medicaid expansion to include dental care;
Introduction of CDC blood lead reference values to prevent poisoning;
Paid family and medical leave;
Expansion of EITC with notification of eligibility via tax returns;
Eviction stay for determination of eligibility for rental assistance;
Ghost gun ban

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

In response to the Texas Legislature’s voter suppression efforts in 2021, Texas Impact is scheduling a series of Faith in Democracy Events across the state this summer to equip congregations with the tools necessary to help participate in strengthening election infrastructure at the local level.

Following the Governor’s decision to bus migrants from the Texas/Mexico border the Washington, D.C., Texas Impact hosted ELCA Bishop Sue Briner on the Texas Impact Weekly Witness podcast discussing her meeting with migrant families in DC. Texas Impact is in process of relaunching the popular Court and Ports Program and is currently recruiting participants to go to the border to visit the ports of entry and serve as court observers.

The Texas Impact Board of Directors is beginning a project to compile social statements from member judicatories and will be responding to the series of high profile statements being made from state government officials and federal courts.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Director

In April we formulated our plans for Spring Summits in each of four regions across our state to meet in person and on Zoom as we reconnect for justice. We are looking forward to a hybrid summit experience, to make time for conversation to reintroduce advocates to each other, learn about the work they are doing in their communities, and have strategic conversations about policy issues. Our first summit was in the Puget Sound area on May 15.

Also in April, we learned of a proposed ballot initiative to undo the capital gains tax we passed last year after decades of work. Washington has the most regressive tax system in the nation, and we work in coalition to change that. We knew the measure would be challenged, as it has already been in court and is headed to the Washington Supreme Court. Now the opposition will begin signature gathering and have until July to gather over 320,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot. This would have devastating impacts on funding for childcare and early learning services in our state. We are participating in the Decline to Sign campaign, and will oppose the initiative if it qualifies for the ballot.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

The Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

Wednesday Noon Live: Interview with Rev. Lanny Westphal, who talks about his sister living on a farm with her Ukrainian husband outside of Kyiv. Hear about his sister’s story and how the ELCA is helping Ukraine. Click here for the interview, and also updates on the Afghan Adjustment Act and Title 42.

Care for God’s Creation: LOPPW organized a first discussion about the Wisconsin Clean Energy Plan with leaders who were active in helping to shape the plan leading the discussion at our Wisconsin Climate Table. We are beginning to discern where advocacy will be needed on the legislative and state budget levels.

Youth Advocacy: Members of our team will develop a flyer and short video about faith-based advocacy. We plan to make the materials known at the synod youth events being held in July. Each of the team members will attend one of the events.

Synod Assemblies: LOPPW will have had an in-person presence at four assemblies, leading a workshop at one, speaking briefly during the plenary at one, and having tables at all four. One of the other synods will show a short video recently created by LOPPW at their mini assemblies.

Training Volunteers: LOPPW just trained one of our volunteers to give presentations on human trafficking. She presented on Saturday, May 14 while LOPPW staff was at the East Central Synod Assembly.

Devotional: Regenerative Relationships Inspire Advocacy

by Rachel Wyffels, 2021-22 Hunger Advocacy Fellow [about the author]

It can be hard to feel God’s restorative presence in these times. In the midst of violence towards each other and the Earth, I often wonder how the Holy Spirit is realizing God’s promise of resurrection in our lives and in our world.

For me, one answer is with the people and relationships in my life.

“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

An opportunity for regenerative relationship in my position as a Hunger Advocacy Fellow comes from my work with the EcoFaith Network of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod. The EcoFaith Network is a dedicated group of stewards of creation across the great geographic diversity of the synod, spanning from Princeton near Minneapolis to International Falls 244 miles north, just under the Canadian border. The EcoFaith Network connects and grows efforts to care for creation across the synod and beyond through grants that support congregational initiatives, educational opportunities, an annual EcoFaith Summit and a supportive community maintained with intentionality and joy.

I felt God at work among the members of the EcoFaith Network as we worked to prepare the 2022 EcoFaith Summit, “Holy Ground Holy Table: Regenerative Practices for the Wholeness of the Earth.” Even in the midst of despair about climate change, about dying ecosystems and shrinking biodiversity, about suffering, violence and migration that disproportionately affects black and brown bodies and communities, and about the failure and brokenness of a political system that refuses to act, God is still bringing new life. The Holy Spirit is moving through the quiet perseverance of Mary Jo, the warm encouragement of Dave, the meditative reflection of Sue, the focused tenacity of Kristin, the eager hospitality of John, and so many others.

As Lutherans, we believe that God is who God has revealed Godself to be: One who brings new life in the midst of suffering and death. We also know that we are set free in Christ to seek justice.

I am grateful to work alongside the dedicated stewards of the EcoFaith Network to advocate for all of creation. Their wholehearted communal spirit reminds me of God’s constant movement to bring new life even amidst great loss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rachel Wyffels (she/her) is a Hunger Advocacy Fellow with Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota, an affiliated state public policy office. Her areas of focus include affordable housing, hunger and climate justice. Wyffels is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where she served as president of the St. Olaf Student Congregation Council. She will begin studies toward an M.Div. at Luther Seminary next year.

Devotional: First, Learn. Next, Do.

By Hannah Peterson, 2021-22 Hunger Advocacy Fellow [about the author]

I am not a practicing Lutheran. Although many of my relatives and ancestors are, I grew up in a secular family, attending church only for Christmas Eve services and the occasional baptism or funeral. As you might imagine, it was an unusual path that led me to this year of being an ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, of learning to navigate through new communities, new opportunities and new insights.

“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

Last spring, emerging from a difficult and confusing year of confinement and isolation as I completed a graduate program in a foreign country during a global pandemic, I was feeling particularly lost in the wilderness of my life. Like many, my plans had been derailed, and the way forward seemed especially unclear. I had spent the past several years buried in my books, in an academic life of writing and contemplation that no longer seemed meaningful to me in the same way.

It was during this time that my “new thing” sprung forth—that my part-time job doing editing work for a small non-profit organization became the opportunity that I have devoted my time to for the past many months. When I took the job of an Hunger Advocacy Fellow, I thought of myself as an editor only: my interest and experience were in rhetoric, language and communication, not so much in the content of what was being written. But what began as a way for me to use the academic skills I had honed through my education had been slowly changing over the months as I learned more about the organization of my placement (Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry New Jersey).

I began to learn about the intricacies of New Jersey politics and the particular struggles its residents face. I began to learn about the ELCA and the relationship between faith and advocacy. I attended Hour of Advocacy meetings, engaging with others who valued both contemplative discussion and practical action. I learned about Lutheranism and the ELCA’s approach to advocacy with the other Hunger Advocacy Fellows. I read the ELCA’s social statements and messages, and learned again how reflection on spiritual questions could inform the concrete, grounded activism that I was beginning to involve myself in.

First, we learn. I had that part down. But next, we must do.

The opportunity that sprung forth for me was not only a chance to work in advocacy or among people of faith, but an opportunity to connect my contemplative self to practical, meaningful work in the world. I feel a connection to Philippians 4:9, which begins: “As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them…” For me (and you, I hope!) advocacy is a way to take what we have learned and do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hannah Peterson is an ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow placed with Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry New Jersey (LEAMNJ), a state public policy office in the ELCA advocacy network. She recently graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in History and Literature, following her undergraduate degree from St. John’s College. Peterson’s internships at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the National Museum of American History inspired her passion for identifying stories that have not yet been told and lifting up the voices of those in need. She hopes to continue her work building connections between people of different faiths, traditions and backgrounds.

April Update: Advocacy Connections

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C.
– the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director, ELCA Witness in Society

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: April 2022

CRITICAL HOUSING INCREASES IN BUDGET | CLIMATE AWARENESS IN BUDGET AND BEYOND | RESPONSE TO MYANMAR (BURMA) | END IN SIGHT FOR TITLE 42 | FAIR HOUSING MONTH

CRITICAL HOUSING INCREASES IN BUDGET: Since original overdue deadline of the budget passed last October, hundreds of Lutherans contacted their members to end the inaction and include increases in critical needs such as housing aid and homeless assistance. In the final version, advocates succeeded in obtaining increases in several low-income spending accounts, including a boost of more than $4 billion in housing assistance.

This comes at a critical time as inflation costs and the shortage of available housing are meeting historic highs. In the coming days and weeks, as congressional committees prepare a bill for the current fiscal cycle, ELCA advocacy will be amplifying opportunities to take action on core priorities and principles in the federal budget.

CLIMATE AWARENESS IN BUDGET AND BEYOND: President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget that includes funding to address climate change domestically and internationally with substantial increase in funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.

The ELCA, working with Non-Government Organizations and other faith-based organizations, began advocacy campaigns with Congressional appropriations committee members to emphasize the importance of finalizing FY23 budget by the end of September with the monies proposed in the president’s budget. The urgency of taking climate action, especially as it relates to women’s human rights, was highlighted by over 80 Lutheran delegates who took part in the sixty-sixth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the U.N. This CSW brought together the gender and climate justice work that Lutherans have led over many years, including youth-led climate justice action around the world, by amplifying the leadership and voices of young people. ELCA and Lutheran World Federation delegates showcased the vital role that faith actors play in promoting women’s empowerment and combating violence and discrimination to achieve greater gender equality at local, national and international levels.

RESPONSE TO MYANMAR (BURMA): The U.S. government has officially declared it has determined that the Myanmar army carried out actions that amount to genocide against the Rohingya people.

While the United States has already imposed many sanctions since 2016, the Secretary of State did announce that the United States will contribute an additional $1 million to the Genocide Convention for Myanmar, which was established in 2018 by the U.N. Human Rights Council. The State Department will also share their findings to support the ongoing genocide case against Myanmar military at the International Court of Justice which was brought forward by the government of Gambia.

END IN SIGHT FOR TITLE 42: On April 1, President Biden announced that Title 42, a policy that has been used to categorically deny asylum seekers the opportunity to ask for protection, will be ending on May 23. The Department of Homeland Security has made many preparations for the change, including updating how asylum will be processed.

Hours after the White House’s Title 42 announcement, multiple lawmakers signaled they would support delaying critical COVID-19 supplementing funding for domestic and international needs over Title 42. A vote on this would be devastating for people who have waited for their chance to ask for refuge on the other side of the border. ELCA advocacy staff have urged lawmakers to reconsider any potential vote to delay restoring access to asylum. The court-reinstated Migration Protection Protocols (MPP), or “Remain in Mexico,” is headed to the Supreme Court (oral argument to be held in April) with far-reaching consequences for immigrant detention and pushbacks. Through AMMPARO, the ELCA is coordinating on what the impact of Title 42 will be as migrant ministries activate for the potential arrival of newcomers.

FAIR HOUSING MONTH: April is Fair Housing Month, an opportunity to highlight the critical need of housing for people and to recommit support for inclusion and justice in housing – matters many Lutherans and Lutheran ministries uphold.

Over the past few years, Lutherans have submitted public comments to proposed rules and to HUD officials. – advocating for them to enforce long neglected elements of the Fair Housing Act and to address injustices in housing disparities. This comes as homeownership rate disparities and the wealth gap in housing equity has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. HUD’s current series promoting Fair Housing month, including a webinar and other resources, can be found here.

Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

April Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The sixty-sixth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) took place from 14 to 25 March 2022. The Priority Theme was achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programs; and the Review Theme was women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work.

Despite taking place in a hybrid format, CSW66 had high-level participation from Member States, including two Heads of State and Government, three vice-presidents, and 111 ministers. In addition, 213 virtual side events were organized by Member States and UN entities, many in collaboration with civil society. Also, more than 800 virtual non-governmental organizations (NGO) parallel events organized by civil society took place.

The Lutheran World Federation and the ELCA participated virtually in the two-week event with a delegation of over 80 members from different parts of the world, facilitated by the Lutheran Office for World Community. Delegates highlighted the urgency of taking action against the climate crisis, especially as it relates to women’s human rights and their ability to participate as equals in climate action. In addition, they showcased the vital role that faith actors play in promoting women’s empowerment, and in combating violence and discrimination to achieve greater gender equality at local, national, and international levels. This CSW66 brought together the gender and climate justice work that Lutherans have led over many years including youth-led climate justice action around the world by amplifying the leadership and voices of young people.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

On April 9, volunteers from Urban Servant Corps, a one-year full time Lutheran volunteer program in Denver, joined LAM-CO Director Peter Severson for a visit to the Colorado State Capitol Building.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN CRUNCH TIME: As the Colorado General Assembly moves into the final quarter of its 2022 session, LAM-CO is actively working on a host of bills related to our 2022 Advocacy Agenda. Among our top priorities this session:

HB 1259, Modifications to Colorado Works Program (Duran/Jodeh). This bill will offer badly-needed updates to our state’s Basic Cash Assistance program, which is funded through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It will remove some key barriers to eligibility and increase baseline assistance.
SB 087, Healthy Meals for All Public School Students (Pettersen/Fields). The bill continues a program initiated through Colorado’s federal COVID relief funds, covering the cost of school meals for all children in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program.
SB 099, Sealing Criminal Records (Hisey/Rodriguez). Also known as “Clean Slate,” the bill automates the record-sealing process for certain non-violent offenses, for which over one million Coloradans are already eligible.

New Mexico

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry New Mexico (LAM-NM) – lutheranadvocacynm.org

Kurt Rager, Director

It’s like farming Redwood trees…

Ruth Hoffman, the long-time director of LAM-NM now retired, would describe the work of legislative advocacy as, “farming redwood trees.” In other words, positive policy change can take years of cultivation and work to achieve. The 2022 New Mexico legislature passed several bills during the legislative session that would exemplify this. We at LAM-NM are particularly proud of our role in the success of HB-132.

HB-132 cut interest rates on short-term loans, offered by nearly 900 store-front lenders across New Mexico, from 175% to 36%. (Twenty years ago, such loans were offered at well over 400%.) These loans target New Mexico’s most financially vulnerable and 65% of lenders are located within 10 miles of Indigenous lands. Even more devastating, these loans are typically rolled over several times. What may have started as an emergency loan for a few hundred turns into several thousand dollars owed. More than 15 years ago a concerted effort to reduce interest rates began.

LAM-NM, working alongside partner organizations that together make up the NM Fair Lending Coalition, cultivated this effort over numerous sessions while confronting formidable opposition. n 2022, to amplify the voice of faith communities, a letter from denominational leaders of the NM Conference of Churches was initiated. Individuals in congregations were invited to sign-on as well, and in just over two weeks almost 500 advocacy partners in 40 congregations added their names to the letter to legislators in support of the 36% interest rate cap. Indeed, the impact of the letter was clear as it was referenced during the House floor debate.

Ohio

Hunger Network Ohio (HNO) – hungernetwork.org

Deacon Nick Bates, Director

Ohio continues to struggle to adopt fair maps in the state. It appears that Ohio’s congressional maps will move forward for at least the 2022 election cycle while state maps remain in legal limbo. We encourage you to follow our colleagues at Common Cause Ohio to stay up-to-date.

In March, we were excited to host our second webinar on the intersection of hunger and other issues. This time we focused on the environment and discussed policy issues in Ohio related to clean water and energy production. For too long, Ohio has under-invested in clean water infrastructure including mapping and replacing lead pipes, wastewater, and stormwater management. We also spent a half hour discussing local congregational efforts including those in Southwest Ohio at Christ the King Lutheran Church with their efforts to not only move toward sustainability but toward restoration. You can watch our webinar here!

Our next webinar will focus on criminal justice but has not yet been scheduled. Follow our Facebook page to see when future events are scheduled!

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania (LAMPa) lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

Budget advocacy accelerated this month as LAMPa met with coalition partners to organize around priorities and sought input from our ministries. LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale made legislative visits to seek support for increases in the State Food Purchase Program and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System in the face of rising food prices. The state’s two major anti-hunger programs support lower purchase prices for Pennsylvania’s charitable food network that includes many congregational pantries. LAMPa also worked to identify champions for a proposed state-supported increase in minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for seniors and persons with disabilities.

LAMPa and coalition partners made progress on securing bipartisan support for legislation dealing with prescription drug pricing and funding for the state housing trust fund. LAMPa advocates have worked for years on the program, and it will be the focus of a presentation at United Lutheran Seminary on April 28. The presentation, which will include conversation with housing agency officials and advocates who themselves have experienced homelessness, will conclude the seminary’s spring convocation.

DePasquale met with Lutheran Disaster Response, Pa. Council of Churches, and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster regarding increases in state funding for disaster and plans to educate the next administration about disaster response.

Staff offered advocacy presentations to Allegheny Synod deans and congregations in Lower Susquehanna Synod, hosted a webinar on energy choice and community solar advocacy, met with Lutheran advocates monitoring elections legislation and continued work with partners seeking independent investigations of police use of lethal force.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Director

Pictured is Kristin Ang at the Transportation package signing.

We are celebrating some wonderful successes from the 2022 Legislative Session that ended on March 10. This was one of the most productive short sessions in recent memory, with transformational investments across the safety net—food, school meals, housing, and cash assistance—as well as transportation and education. By the end of session, the largest supplemental budget in history passed with $64.1 billion that will make a tangible difference for our communities, along with a 16-year, $17 billion transportation package called “Move Ahead Washington” that will reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. We were frustrated that our criminal justice and police reform bills did not move and recommit ourselves to continue working in coalition to move forward a ban on solitary confinement and other essential reforms. Other notable achievements of this session included bipartisan support for the nation’s first alert system for missing and endangered Indigenous persons, momentous victories for gun responsibility, and additional funding to support refugees arriving in our state. You can review the full list of successes and read Policy Engagement Director Kristin Ang’s recap at fanwa.org/advocacy/legislative-agenda.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

The Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

Care for God’s Creation – Message from Governor Evers’ Office: “The Governor will today sign AB 727/SB 677, which Lutheran Office for Public Policy Wisconsin supported, related to creating a commercial nitrogen optimization pilot program, providing crop insurance rebates for cover crops, creating a hydrogeologist position, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. We wanted to make sure you knew before it came out publicly. Thank you so much for your advocacy.” signed by Camille Crary, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Governor Tony Evers

Human Trafficking: LOPPW’s director the Rev. Cindy Crane was one of the presenters at UW-Madison Law School’s Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender Society Symposium, at the recommendation of a La Crosse legislator. LOPPW presented on recent anti-sex trafficking bills.

Wednesday Noon Live: Interview with Secretary of State Doug La Follette. How some leaders tried to overthrow the 2020 election results in Wisconsin: What is at stake in the Secretary of State’s position? Click here to watch the interview.

Youth Advocacy: We held our first listening session for youth, who showed interest in climate justice, equity and racism, anti-bullying, equity and LGBTQ+ issues, and hunger and class. There is interest in holding a second session.

Raise the Age: Our coalition had its first online informational session, which included testimonies from two people with experience being sent to adult prison as youth. You can watch the video here.

Why the Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Matters

by guest blogger Judith E.B. Roberts [about the author]

I share this blog from my personal perspective as a Black woman in America and what the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson means to me.

Last week, history was made when the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. She will serve as the first Black woman justice in the 232-year history of the Supreme Court. It is not the only, nor likely the last “historic first” for the highest court in the United States. In 1967, Justice Thurgood Marshall broke through the racial color line by becoming the first African American Supreme Court justice. In 1981, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor shattered the gender glass ceiling, becoming the first female Supreme Court justice. Justice Sonia Sotomayor became the first woman of color and the first Latina to be appointed in 2009. In terms of racial and gender identity, today’s nine Supreme Court justices certainly reflect greater diversity than the first justices of 1790.

When we consider diversity, we consider that we are all complex individuals with differing lived experiences and social identities, such as our race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, religion and socio-economic status. These aspects of our identities are inextricably linked and shape the ways we view the world. Legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw first coined the term intersectionality to help explain the oppression experienced by Black women. Crenshaw explains: “Recognizing that we all carry many identities that come with varying levels of power and privilege is called intersectionality.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson represents more than just her accomplishments in the legal realm. Her melanin-rich complexion and natural textured locks speak volumes. This is relevant because historical, deeply rooted racist and sexist views about Black women—views that began with the enslavement of African people—still persist today. Attitudes about the behavior of Black women continue to be represented in media and entertainment by negative caricatures, such as the subservient mammy, the sassy sapphire, the seductress jezebel and the welfare queen. White European beauty standards of fair skin, sharp facial features, straight hair and slender body frames are still culturally and globally dominant. Black women and girls experience microaggressions, judgement, unconscious biases and physical attacks upon our bodies due to our natural hair texture, melanin-rich complexions, body shapes and physical features.

Given all these realities, representation matters. When people from historically marginalized groups see leaders who resemble them in key positions, it builds self-esteem, especially for younger people. Representation fosters greater trust within systems and institutions. It also adds a greater diversity of voices, perspectives and lived experiences to the processes that impact decisions, policies, practices and programs. This is true for businesses, faith communities, non-profits and governments alike.

While Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is neither the first person of color nor the first woman of color to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, she is the first Black woman. As a Black woman in America, she bears the lived experience of the intersectionality of race and gender from a very particular historical perspective. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson represents, in the words of Dr. Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise (1978), “the dream and the hope of the slave.” As the daughter of parents who fought against Jim Crow segregation, and as the newest member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson represents the best ideals of American democracy and the values of equity, inclusion and diversity. She carries the historical knowledge of laws, policies and practices that held Black Americans in the position of second-class citizenship. Now she will serve from the very bench that overturned racially unjust laws in this nation, from Jim Crow segregation to voter disenfranchisement and school segregation.

For many, this is a hopeful and overdue moment of inclusion, visibility and representation. We rejoice in it! And God calls us to do more. We are not yet a nation that fully reflects and represents all the gifts of diversity. We must not waiver from the commitment of forming a more perfect union. As the ELCA, we too cannot waiver in our quest to increase diversity within congregations, synods and the churchwide organization.

We can notice the people, voices and experiences that are missing from our programs and our leadership. We can support a culture and climate where all people are free to bring their most authentic selves to work. We can expand and share power and voice in decision-making authority by listening to and following the lead of historically marginalized groups. To counter the narratives of negative stereotypes, we can engage in unconscious bias and other Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) trainings both internally and externally. We can intentionally recruit, retain and support leaders that represent historically marginalized groups. We can each champion justice by putting the values of diversity, equity and inclusion into our daily practice because representation matters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Judith E.B. Roberts is Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with the ELCA

Title 42 Points to Need for Humane Asylum System

By Giovana Oaxaca, ELCA program director for migration

The announcement of the Biden administration of an end date for Title 42 is a welcome step forward towards restoring access to the right to seek asylum. Rather than promote a safe, orderly or humane process, Title 42 wound up increasing risk and vulnerability. Our Lutheran tradition teaches “hospitality for the uprooted is a way to live out the biblical call to love the neighbor in response to God’s love in Jesus Christ” (ELCA social message on “Immigration,” pg. 3). The human repercussions of Title 42 will be felt for years to come. Hopefully this moment can redirect our policymakers towards rebuilding a humane asylum system.

REQUESTING ASYLUM

Asking for asylum at the border is a right guaranteed under the Refugee Protection Act of 1980, as well as a right widely recognized as a U.S. international obligation. It is a lifeline many vulnerable migrants rely on when they reach ports of entry, usually as a last resort and after having travelled hundreds of miles by foot to escape personal danger. An asylee is an individual who meets the international definition of refugee – a person with well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group, who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. In the United States, asylum seekers apply for protection from inside the country or at a port of entry.

WHAT IS TITLE 42

Title 42 is a part of an U.S. public health code that authorizes the federal government to take “emergency action” to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, a power first invoked by President Trump in March 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order under Title 42 barring certain noncitizens arriving at U.S. borders, even over the objection of leading public health officials in the CDC who saw no valid public health rationale to issue the order.

The public health effectiveness of this measure is questionable. In the United States, community spread was far more likely to be the source of transmission than newcomers. During the time Title 42 has been in effect, millions of people have continued to legally cross the U.S.-Mexico border at ports of entry for tourism and work. People continue to travel to the United States and to foreign countries by plane with little fanfare. Some have argued that Title 42 authority has been used far beyond its intended use as a public health measure.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW

On April 1, the CDC officially announced May 23 as an end date for Title 42. A potential increase in the number of border encounters is anticipated with this policy shift due to demand and expected seasonal fluctuations.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a comprehensive strategy in anticipation of the expected high volume of arrivals as Title 42 ends. The strategy is a blueprint for ramping up operational capacity, deploying more staff and resources, creating new processing centers and making asylum processing more efficient. The United States is also preparing a new system of adjudicating asylum decision. Of note, it advances an integrated regional approach to migration management. Unfortunately, it relies too heavily on raising the costs of migration instead of working to address the underlying drivers of migration.

Migrants, advocates in the faith community and public health experts have exhaustively argued that restoring asylum and protecting public health can be done together. The U.S. has the ability and resources to welcome humanely, efficiently and safely. Welcoming people in need of refuge is woven into the U.S.’ national identity. Lutheran experience in the United States reflects the continuity of this movement, as at one point after World War II one out of every six Lutherans was a refugee.

The bluntness of Title 42 underlines the U.S. immigration system’s penchant for neglecting human dignity and deflecting responsibility for humane border management. Its uneven use calls into the question even the public health rationale it purported to have. “Too often we perpetuate the racism, the fear of, and the animosity towards newcomers that show themselves in our society,” reads the ELCA “Immigration” social message (pg. 1). Between March 2020 and March 2022, Title 42 was used over 1.7 million times to expel migrants back to Mexico by land and by plane to Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Brazil and Columbia.

Even now, Congress is considering an amendment to a COVID-19 supplemental bill that would reinstate Title 42. Historically, exclusionary policies have been most pronounced during moments of social anxiety. However, the choice is not to double down, but to reach out with grace and work towards the common good. Martin Luther once said, “I will give myself as a kind of Christ to my neighbor, just as Christ offered himself to me. I will do nothing in this life except what I see will be necessary, advantageous, and salutary for my neighbor, because through faith I am overflowing with all good things in Christ” (The Freedom of a Christian, pg. 29).

UNTOLD HUMAN SUFFERING

There many reasons Title 42 exacerbates human suffering. A paper by the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) underscores how long-term measures to close borders only reduce options for safe and regular migration and may increase the likelihood of irregular migration, smuggling and trafficking, especially as the drivers of migration increase.

Crossings have turned increasingly deadly as migrants have attempted to enter without inspection outside of ports of entry. A June 2021 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) also acknowledged that Title 42 expulsions have led to “some individuals trying to cross the border multiple times per day.” Owing to the exception for unaccompanied children, the use of Title 42 has also driven families to separate in the desperate attempt to send their children to safety in the United States. No family should ever have to make such a tragic choice.

Migrants are exposed to extraordinary danger upon return. Human Rights First published a report identifying 9,886 reports of kidnapping, torture, rape and other violent attacks on people blocked or expelled to Mexico due to the Title 42 policy. In Mexico, stranded Black migrants and migrants of African descent reported frequent racially motivated attacks and harassment.

According to the IOM the vast majority of Haitians were returned to “highly vulnerable situations with few if any resources” to Haiti, a country most had not lived in recently or at all. Returned and deported migrants to Guatemala and Honduras were equally vulnerable. Some NGOs, including ELCA AMMPARO companions Asociacion Pop No’j and the Mennonite Central Action Committee in Honduras, were able to assist, although COVID-19 set-backs and the sheer scale was considerable.

LEGAL QUESTIONS

Legal scholars have continuously called into question the validity of the CDC’s order, given that it supersedes congressional intent by granting the CDC near unilateral power to decide who can be deported. At a minimum, Title 42 is not consistent with U.S refugee law or treaty obligations under Article 33 of 1951 Refugee Convention. Article 33 prohibits expulsions back to countries where a person’s life is in danger (what’s known as a nonrefoulement obligation). The United States ratified the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, creating an obligation back to the 1951 Refugee Convention. At least two high-ranking government officials have resigned over the categorical expulsions they saw as inhumane and illegal, especially to the country of Haiti. The prevailing international standard on deportations prohibits collective expulsion back to danger and urges a dignified returned and reintegration process (Objective 21 of the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration).

Huisha-Huisha v. Mayorkas challenges the overall use of Title 42 to return families back to danger. The D.C. Circuit Court on March 4, 2022 ruled in Huisha-Huisha that the government cannot use the public health order to expel families back to countries where they are likely to suffer persecution or torture. The Huisha-Huisha ruling dropped just as district court in Texas issued another ruling on Title 42 in Texas v. Biden blocking the ongoing Title 42 exemptions for unaccompanied children. The Biden administration averted having to expel unaccompanied children by officially terminating Title 42 expulsions for unaccompanied children on March 21. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees condemns any measure that infringes on the right to ask asylum. Public health experts argue that evidence-based public health safeguards like the use of vaccines, masks, hand sanitizer and other screening tools are strong countermeasures so that Title 42 is not necessary.

On the other hand, following the CDC order terminating Title 42 by May 23, the states of Missouri, Arizona, and Louisiana jointly sued the Biden administration for failure to rescind Title 42 through the proper procedure. While governing authorities have the responsibility to protect the nation’s borders and maintain its security, Title 42 goes too far.

ADDITIONAL POLICY RECONSIDERATION

Soon, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear a case over the Biden administration’s rescission, or repeal, of the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP). MPP, known as “Remain in Mexico,” leads to people who are legally seeking protection being stranded in perilous conditions in Mexico while they await their court hearing. MPP deprives migrants their opportunity to have their cases fully and fairly considered. This is a deeply flawed program that exposes children, families and vulnerable migrants to serious harm.

VISION FOR BETTER

The experience of Title 42 shows that the solution to human struggle and migration is not deterrence-based mechanisms, but addressing the drivers of migration, creating safe and orderly pathways to migrate, strengthening access to protection, and retooling how the government provides reception for those who are forced to come to the border. Any strategy must not bank on deterrence at U.S. borders or even within countries of transit to mitigate the flow of people migrating to save their lives, in search of opportunity or to reunify with family. International coordination and collaboration are essential for any effective migration policy.

Our faith is the strongest compass we have for guidance on how to treat newcomers. Scripture calls us to love our neighbor: “The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34). ELCA social teaching describes our serving presence in society that “holds power accountable, advocates justice, stands with those who are poor and vulnerable, provides sanctuary, and meets human needs” (ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World, pg. 5).

WHAT’S NEXT

We must continue to show support for restoring access to asylum and continuing the U.S.’ legacy of providing refuge as consistent with U.S. law and international agreements. Some lawmakers support keeping Title 42 over concerns about border security. People’s lives cannot be used to escalate reliance on detention, deportation and border militarization, or to try to dismantle the asylum and refugee system.

While lawmakers will likely never reach a consensus on what a secure border looks like, we can agree that essential immigration reforms must be made – and Title 42 proved to be an unjust and harmful policy. Beyond just denying access to asylum, Title 42 engenders the conditions for an even greater humanitarian crisis at the border and in countries of origin. Communities of faith, through ELCA AMMPARO and across the ELCA, are ready to work together to address the plight of migrants.

Lutheran congregations have responded to newcomer neighbors, welcoming people fleeing conflict in Southeast Asia, war, targeted violence in Central America and very recently have welcomed Afghan families displaced by conflict and Ukrainians in Eastern Europe. This love of our neighbor is our steady guide in uncertain and difficult times.