Opinions

Faith leaders stand with ‘Dreamers’

As followers of Christ, we are compelled to love and support our neighbors. As a faith community, we need to come together and show the close to 150 "Dreamers" living in Alaska, and the 800,000 living throughout the United States, love, just as Christ loves us. Recently, Muslim, Sikh, Jewish and Christian leaders came together in Washington state to call on people of all faiths to support the Dreamers, especially at a time when they must feel so alone.

The Dreamers include approximately 800,000 young immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, through no fault of their own, and who have grown up in our neighborhoods, attended our schools, and contributed to our workforce and military.

[Uncertainty looms for Alaska's few 'dreamers']

However, these young immigrants are now facing the threat of deportation back to countries they can hardly, if at all, remember. This comes after the Trump administration's decision to repeal the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program on Sept. 5. The DACA program gave these young immigrants the opportunity to live, work and study in the United States after submitting to a criminal background check and meeting multiple criteria. The program required them to pay a fee and reapply every two years to renew their status, but this year, it's very different! The deadline to reapply has passed, and our young immigrant neighbors may be forced out of our communities as a result.

Beyond the reasons that Christ gives us to love these Dreamers, many are exemplary members of American society. Many of them are valedictorians, doctors, lawyers and teachers, and aside from lacking a nine-digital Social Security number — something most of us never think twice about — they are just like us. Yet, there is a great uncertainty in their lives due to potential deportation if Congress fails to pass a long-term legislative solution by the March 5 deadline offered by President Trump.

[We will protect the human rights of 'dreamers']

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has already shown her support for Dreamers by co-sponsoring the DREAM Act, introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. This bipartisan bill can be the long-term legislative solution needed to allow Dreamers legal residency and the ability to further contribute to our country. Sen. Dan Sullivan should follow Murkowski's lead — especially since 86 percent of all Americans and 80 percent of Republicans support giving Dreamers the chance to stay in the U.S., according to a Fox News poll.

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We could not say it more perfectly than Sen. Murkowski did in her Sept. 5 DACA repeal response: "I believe those who were brought to this country by their parents, raised here, educated here, lived here, and dreamed here, should be welcomed to stay here."

We thank you, Sen. Murkowski, and we would like to call on leaders of all faiths to join us in our support for Dreamers — they need it now, more than ever.

The Rev. Michael Burke, Sr. is pastor of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Anchorage. Co-signing this commentary are The Rev.  Dr. Martin Eldred, pastor, Joy Lutheran Church, Eagle River; The Rev.  Dawn Allen-Herron, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Petersburg; The Rev.  Jacob Poindexter, senior minister, First Congregational Church of Anchorage; The Rev. Jan Hotze, vicar, St. Michael and All Angels Church, Haines; The Rev.  Paul L. Boling, senior pastor, First Christian Church, Anchorage; The Rev.  Ellen Johnson-Price, pastor, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Anchorage; The Rev.  Max Lopez-Cepero, pastor, First Covenant Church, Anchorage; The Rev.  Nico Romeijn-Stout, pastor of discipleship and social justice, St. John United Methodist Church, Anchorage; The Rev. Julie Platson, rector, St. Peter's by the Sea Episcopal Church, Sitka; The Rev.  Gayle Nauska, associate priest, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Anchorage; The Rev. Belle Mickelson, rector, St. George's Episcopal Church, Cordova; The Rev.  David Boling, associate minister, First Christian Church, Anchorage; The Rev.  Autumn Krueger, United Methodist Church; The Rev. Ann Whitney, rector, St. David's Episcopal Church, Wasilla; Nora Ortiz Fredrick, Moral Movement Alaska; The Rev. Jamez Terry, chaplain, Christian Universalist Association, Anchorage; The Rev. Matthew Schultz, pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Anchorage; The Rev. Caroline F. Malseed, Juneau; The Rev. Marilyn Duggar, priest, Nenana; The Rev. Judith Lethin, chaplain, The Thomas Center, Anchorage; The Rt. Rev. Mark Lattime, Episcopal Bishop of Alaska; and Candace Bell, president of the Alaska Christian Conference; The Rev. Shelley Wickstrom, Bishop of the Alaska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary@alaskadispatch.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@alaskadispatch.com.

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