WASHINGTON – On Thursday, May 3, at 4:30, clergy, faith communities and immigrants took part in the national Jericho Walk, an annual silent, interfaith day of prayer and action held in communities to show solidarity with immigrant rights leaders who have been targeted for challenging deportation and detention policies. The walk is part of a national effort taking place in 12 major cities to also show solidarity with the more than 40 leaders who currently are claiming sanctuary in houses of worship to oppose their respective deportation orders in 15 states.
The walk and prayerful action was inspired by the biblical Battle of Jericho (Joshua 5:13-6:27) in which people marched around the city seven times, prompting the city’s walls to crumble. Through marching around the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Washington, DC, members of the faith community showed their solidarity to stop deportations and the targeting of immigrant rights leaders.
The peaceful and prophetic witness coincides with the National Day of Prayer and a federal lawsuit brought by immigrant rights leader Ravi Ragbir and several immigrant rights organizations. “At the May 3rd Jericho walk in front of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, faith communities will come together to evoke the parable of Jericho by engaging in a silent interfaith prayer and act of solidarity,” said the Rev. John McCullough, President and CEO of CWS. “This is part of a nationwide effort taking place in a dozen major cities across the country in solidarity with the more than 40 leaders who are currently claiming sanctuary in spaces of worship to fight their deportation order in 15 different states. Faith leaders and community members will encircle ICE offices and draw upon Joshua’s prophetic witness to figuratively tear down the walls of division, racism, and inhumanity.”
Other faith leaders added their support:
“With faith, we march with refugees and immigrants until the walls of fear, hatred, and separation are torn down. Jesus speaks only of love and compassion. As Christians, we must tear down the walls in our own hearts to allow compassion to enter. Until we do so, will anyone recognize us as Christians?” —Lawrence Crouch, Director National Advocacy Center of Sisters of the Good Shepherd
“Jewish history demands that we stand with those targeted for dispossession. We well know the tragedy of being forced from home and country because of being considered “other.” Many members of our community are here today because of the relatively open borders of the US in the early twentieth century; many more are not because these borders closed. Today, T’ruah’s 2,000 rabbis and cantors stand in solidarity with immigrants who are being targeted by ICE.”–Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Executive Director, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
“Franciscans walk in solidarity with all immigrants facing detention and deportation and fighting for their human rights. Our faith and Franciscan values compel us to act with and on behalf of vulnerable people, such as immigrants suffering under our unjust immigration system. Immigrants are not numbers, but women, men and children with God-given human dignity, deserving respect, compassion, and justice.” – Sr. Marie Lucey, FAN Associate Director
“The walls of Jericho didn’t start coming down until people did the groundwork and then start making some noise. Faith communities have got to come together to get people ready to make some noise. The people inside the stronghold called the White House will hear us and the walls of divisive, racist and inhuman policies will come down. This story really proves how weak and fragile those walls and the people inside were ; this story is about people of faith understanding our power and strength to create lasting change. ” —Rev. Reuben D. Eckels, Interfaith Advocacy Minister for Immigrants and Refugees, Church World Service
“The first most repeated divine commandment is scripture is this: Do not be afraid. The second is: Honor the immigrant in your midst as one of your own. When fear and hate target immigrants, our choice is clear: either we stand with immigrants, or we stand against God.” —Rev. Peter Jarrett-Schell, Calvary Episcopal Church]]>
