Many Christian leaders and organizations have opposed President Donald Trump’s policies separating parents from their children.
Religion News Service reporter Jack Jenkins started a Twitter thread to track all the religious groups and leaders who have made statements opposing separating immigrant children from their families. At least nine Christian denominations as well as scores of Christian leaders have come out against Trump’s policy so far.
On Friday, evangelical humanitarian organization World Vision urged a “compassionate response” and “family centered and child-focused solutions to immigration detention.”
World Vision also warned about the long-term damage that is being done to the children.
“While the U.S. needs to address real concerns about our immigration system, children and families should not suffer in the process. The single most important relationship for all children, especially those at risk of violence or in high stress situations, is that of a parent. Separating children from their parents can have a devastating long-term effect on children’s mental, physical, and emotional development,” World Vision added.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops delivered a similar warning on the issue by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, reading: “Our government has the discretion in our laws to ensure that young children are not separated from their parents and exposed to irreparable harm and trauma. Families are the foundational element of our society and they must be able to stay together. While protecting our borders is important, we can and must do better as a government, and as a society, to find other ways to ensure that safety. Separating babies from their mothers is not the answer and is immoral.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the new “zero tolerance” policy April 6. AP reported Saturday that nearly 2,000 children have been separated from their parents from April 19 to May 31.
President Donald Trump has blamed congressional Democrats for his administration’s policy.
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Source: Christian Post
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