WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, ruling that a policy that allowed border officials to turn people seeking safety away at official U.S. border crossings, without considering their legal claims, is not against the law.
Following are quotes from faith leaders who are members of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC). To interview members of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, contact [email protected].
Christopher Kerr, Executive Director, Ignatian Solidarity Network
“Today’s ruling is a devastating blow to the right to seek asylum, and a painful rejection of our shared humanity. By permitting the government to turn away individuals at the very threshold of safety, this decision leaves thousands of vulnerable families and young people in peril. Scripture and Catholic teaching leave no room for ambiguity: we are commanded to welcome the stranger with dignity and love. We refuse to accept a border policy that treats human lives as legal loopholes, and stand in absolute solidarity with the young asylum seekers whose courage inspires us.”
Susan Gunn, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
“Today’s disastrous ruling by the Supreme Court is the latest attempt by leaders in the United States to treat Black and brown people as expendable, ripping apart families and placing human lives at risk. As people of faith, we refuse to accept this cruelty and call on Congress to act immediately to protect people in need of safety, upholding our moral obligation to stand with the vulnerable and build a more peaceful world.”
Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
“The Supreme Court’s decision to strip away the right for migrants to claim asylum in the U.S. at the border without stepping on U.S. soil completely disregards the dignity and lived experiences of families fleeing violence and persecution. Individuals who risk everything to reach the U.S. border in search of refuge deserve respect and consideration, regardless of where they stand when requesting asylum. The argument that geography dictates human rights goes against decency and fairness.
“No one seeking safety is a stranger; we are sisters and brothers united in our common humanity. As the book of Hebrews teaches, ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.’ Our founder, St. Mary Euphrasia, echoed this sentiment, reminding us: ‘O how dear persons should be to us. There should be no limit to our zeal and generosity in assisting them.’ She also urged us to ‘try to think well of everybody, avoiding rash judgements. Have great esteem for each other’ (Conferences, p.316). We must choose understanding over animosity and kindness over cruelty.”
Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck, Executive Director, Faithful America
“Today’s Supreme Court decision in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado will have devastating consequences and will quite literally cost lives. Vulnerable children and families fleeing violence and persecution will be turned away and sent back into the very dangers they risked everything to escape. This ruling is not only a profound violation of the legal right to seek asylum; it also stands in direct opposition to our moral obligations. As people of faith, we are called to welcome the stranger, protect those seeking refuge, and care for the most vulnerable among us. Instead, this decision closes the door on those in desperate need of safety and protection.”
Rev. Noel Andersen, National Field Director for Church World Service and Co-Chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition
“Today’s Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump administration to turn back asylum seekers at ports of entry flies in the face of the Refugee Act of 1980, which clearly states that someone ‘physically present in the United States or at a land border or port of entry,’ irrespective of immigration status, can apply for asylum. Faith communities across traditions worked tirelessly to pass the Refugee Act and continue to work together to honor the sacred call to accompany people fleeing violence and persecution in search of safety. Today’s decision does not change our communities’ commitment to welcome the sojourner. We mourn that the Court’s ruling will force people seeking asylum into dangerous and perilous situations and put their lives at risk. But we will continue fighting to restore asylum and build a system that treats all people with dignity.”
Rev. Amy Reumann, Senior Director, Witness in Society for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) grieves today’s Supreme Court decision that allows the U.S. government to continue blocking asylum seekers from obtaining protection at the U.S. border. As Lutherans, our faith prompts us to welcome and protect the vulnerable and honor the dignity God bestows on each person – and to uplift laws and policies that do the same. The ELCA supports fair and generous asylum laws, a commitment grounded in Scripture, in our church’s own immigrant history, and in our country’s best tradition of being a refuge for the persecuted. As we approach this country’s 250th anniversary, we might recall the words of George Washington, who wrote: ‘I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong.’ We urge protection and welcome for our neighbors from all nations.”
Anika Forrest, Domestic Policy, Legislative Director at the Friends Committee on National Legislation
“Policies and opinions must never seek to trump the Inner Light of every individual. The Supreme Court’s decision in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado paves the way for the U.S. government to deliberately deprive asylum seekers of their right to seek protection at a U.S. border, a right enshrined by domestic and international law. Rather than confronting the challenges of an overburdened asylum system and decades of congressional absenteeism, this decision validates policies like ‘metering’ that narrow access to safety and outsource moral and legal responsibility to communities already weathering grave challenges. Congress has both the authority and the responsibility to end these life-threatening policies and build an efficient, safe, and manageable asylum system that recognizes due process and humane care for the persecuted begins the very moment one knocks on the door of refuge. Aligned with Quaker tenets, the Friends Committee on National Legislation remains committed, alongside the larger faith community, to striking down policies that inflict suffering and bearing faithful witness to the truth that U.S. policies must not deny that of God in those seeking peace and safe haven.”
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
“We are deeply disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision allowing the federal government to systematically turn back asylum seekers at ports of entry along the U.S-Mexico border. As Jews, we understand the danger of being forced to return to unsafe places, and our history teaches us the devastating consequences when people fleeing persecution, violence, and instability are denied protection. Rather than forcing migrants to remain in unsafe conditions without even the opportunity to seek refuge, we must pursue policies that safeguard those seeking protection and uphold the dignity of every person.”
###