A Call for Humane Treatment of Migrants

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, the wife of a Dreamer, and the Representative of Illinois 3, a district proud of the contributions of the migrants who call it home, and a member of the Humboldt Park United Methodist Church, a church that is formed by immigrants, a church that has been serving the community for decades, and a church that built me and taught me to put my faith into action and to advocate for our shared humanity.

As a Methodist, I would like to share a call for prayer and action from ``Metodistas Asociados Representando la Causa Hispano Americana,'' ``Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic/Latinx American,'' the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry of the United Methodist Church, and the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church.

As we just celebrated the season of Epiphany, we are reminded again of the story of those three wise travelers who journeyed through many lands and over borders in search of a newborn king.

We are reminded that after they found the infant Jesus, his mother, and Joseph, the true peril of their mission began.

Herod's anxiety and paranoia led to one of the worst infant massacres recorded in the Gospel text, and their earnest pilgrims' story transformed the Holy Family's existence into a family like so many today seeking asylum in other lands and, in particular, at our southern border.

Therefore, we join in a call for the humane and sacred treatment of migrants, refugees, and those who seek asylum at our borders as a recognition that the same Jesus who traveled with his family on that fateful night, can still be found in the faces of all of the families we see on our TV screens and our social media spaces.

Along with this, we stand in opposition to the State of Texas SB 4 law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott, which allows police officials to arrest and charge migrants with misdemeanors or more serious offenses if they do not agree to leave by order of a State judge.

This law incentivizes racial profiling and further limits the rights of due process for migrants fleeing unthinkable violence, poverty, and death.

Furthermore, we oppose the inhumane treatment of migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers by Governor Abbott in transporting migrants to other States without their knowledge or consent, only to abandon them on cold streets without concern about the extreme cold weather and safety issues they would face.

We call on this administration to honor the principles of so many of the world religions that call us to mercy, to compassion, and to welcome and hold sacred lives of immigrants, refugees, and asylum- seekers when engaging in budget negotiations and stricter border security measures.

We urge the administration to consider prayerfully those measures that will lead to a safe and just resolution with a path toward effective immigration solutions, funding to be able to process asylum and refugee claims faster and more effectively, and intentional steps to work with countries of origin to understand and combat the reasons for this mass migration.

We call on our colleagues, Members of the House and Senate, to negotiate in good faith with this administration, not in the hopes of gaining political points, as we have seen, but in the spirit of their shared citizenship in the world and with a deep conviction of what it means to be a beloved community.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Herod tempted the wise men to carry out his evil intentions toward the Christ child and his family. However, in a dream, an angel warns them not to return to Herod. Instead, they chose to return by another route.

Their courage and conviction should inspire all of us to choose another route, one filled with compassion, with justice, with mercy, and the belief that we are all made in the image of our creator and endowed with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We call on all Methodists and all humans everywhere to join us in the call of action for prayer.

May we lead differently. May we recognize our shared humanity. May our faith lead us to action. May we be reminded that we, in fact, have a shared humanity and a responsibility to act justly and mercifully. Mayor Josh Moenning Retiring

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source