Washington, DC – “Mr. Biden has sought to be identified with Pope Francis. And if there is one signature issue for Pope Francis, it is the plight of refugees, immigrants and displaced persons,” writes Bill McCormick, contributing editor at America Magazine.
After the Biden administration announced last week that it would keep former President Trump’s historically low refugee admissions numbers of 15,000, it received significant and apparently unexpected pushback from people of faith, refugee advocacy groups, and immigrant rights groups, who challenged President Biden for breaking his promise to refugees.
In response to this outcry, the Biden administration announced it will increase the admissions cap by May 15 — a welcome move to which activists will hold him accountable — reminding the president of his initial promises, faith commitments, and, as McCormick asserts, the need for parrhesia, a Latin term used by Pope Francis to describe spiritual boldness.
Says McCormick: “Proclaiming the good news of welcoming the stranger is something we all need to hear, but it requires parrhesia precisely because of how challenging it is. The term implies more than speaking ‘prophetically,’ as if bold words were all that is needed, but also means inspiring and guiding, offering clear direction and robust support to the slow, difficult work of living in the world. That includes policy-making.”
Read McCormick’s full analysis here. For more, see reaction from religious leaders to the delayed FY 2021 presidential determination; a letter from 42 heads of communion; and another from over 600 religious leaders and faith-based organizations.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
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