NC Faith Leaders Denounce Recent ICE Raids Across the State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 6, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT

Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202)735-7123
Kahran Myers, kmyers@faithinpubliclife.org, (727) 742-5193

NC Faith Leaders Denounce Recent ICE Raids Across the State

CHARLOTTE — On February 6th, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided a firearms manufacturing plant in Sanford, North Carolina and detained 30 people. One mother was arrested whose 4-year-old child can’t speak and has severe health problems, including a cleft palate, asthma and a chromosome deficiency.

After last night’s State of the Union, the president spoke to the need for border security. North Carolina faith leaders say that their community needs to keep families together and defund hate. Faith leaders in North Carolina issued the following statements:

Rev. Julie Peeples, Pastor, Congregational United Church of Christ, (Greensboro, NC):

“Raids such as these serve only to terrorize immigrants. Family separation is happening everywhere, not just the border. In North Carolina: children are left crying for their mothers and fathers and spouses, wondering if they will be next. These raids are immoral, unnecessary and outrageously inhumane.”

Rev. Glencie Rhedrick, Pastor, First Baptist Church-West, (Charlotte, NC):

“The current administration cannot continue to use the language of unity, when it desires to build a wall to separate families. ICE continues to invade and deport mothers and fathers while leaving their children in detention centers leaving families separated and children caged like animals. This is not UNITY.”

Rev. Melissa McQueen-Simmons, Pastor, Many Voices, (Charlotte, NC):

“It is disheartening to witness groups like ICE rip families apart physically, emotionally and psychologically. My humanity welcomes diversity especially those coming from places that have been deemed unsafe. I am called to love my neighbor and is reminded that our diversity makes us stronger and powerful as a nation.”

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Faith in Public Life is a national network of nearly 50,000 clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice and the common good.