The UCC National Collaborative on Immigration gathered on the steps of the Kansas City Conference Center on July 14 to call on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) to stop the raids, family separation, and disappearances of community members that have been escalating under the Trump administration. Over 200 people joined in the emotional protest where they rallied, chanted and prayed to speak out against these raids. Protestors held signs that said, “Love knows no borders” and “Her love melts ICE.”
With 98% approval, the UCC passed a resolution condemning the current administration’s anti-immigrant policies earlier that day at General Synod. UCC clergy lifted up prayers and called out the names of the disappeared and the families separated. Speakers encouraged UCC members to make additional efforts to accompany immigrants in need and stand up to these unjust policies.
The gathered crowd listens to speakers condemning ICE.
A gathering of lamentation
Rev. Linda Jaramillo, former UCC Executive Minister of Justice and Witness spoke to the crowd. “This gathering was not one of celebration but of lamentation, however, we’re grateful that 98% of Synod voted to live out our Christian values, and the purpose of this rally is to pray and speak truth power. Next our task is to take this work to where we live throughout the country in our communities and congregations, to ensure we’re accompanying those in danger of deportation or discrimination and that everyone knows their rights.”
The Rev. Lorraine Ceniceros of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the UCC recited a poem she wrote for the event (in part):
A Public Prayer for the Arrested, the Brown, the Forgotten, and the Furious
“Holy Creator of the Unbordered Sky—
We come to you today not in peace,
but in protest.
We come carrying names they won’t say on the news,
wrists red from zip ties,
hearts scarred from history,
and prayers thick with the sound of our ancestors
saying Again?”
Holding this government accountable
UCC faith leaders, were joined by Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation of Kansas City, Executive Director, Karla Juarez who told those gathered, “We will not let our neighbors be disappeared in silence. We are sending a message to our community that you are not alone, we are here for you. We have much work to do, and we’re letting people know of their rights, the more we show up, the more we keep each other safe and the more we can hold this government accountable.”
Following her speech, the crowd chanted loudly, “You are not alone!”
Rev. Steve Davis of St. John’s UCC in Fullerton added his voice to the ICE protest.
Standing amongst the protesters was Rev. Steve Davis of the Penn Northeast Conference, pastor of St. John’s UCC Fullerton in Whitehall. “It’s important for me to be here,” he said. “I’ve seen ICE going into places they don’t belong, denying due process. It’s criminal behavior by our own government.”
‘Immigration is a family value’
Border Pastors from Texas and Arizona spoke about how border militarization and anti-asylum policies are negatively impacting their communities. Rev. Randy Mayer of Good Shepherd UCC along the U.S. Mexico Border in Arizona said, “This administration is trying to destroy our humanitarian efforts, the faith communities that are out in the desert every day bringing water, food and medical care to the migrants that are only trying to escape violence and take care of their families. We believe that immigration is a family value and the people we find in the desert are people of great faith and people that love their families and they should not be denigrated, with their rights taken away, and left in a perilous desert where they could die.”
The Rev. Ali Lopez-Valcarcel addresses the crowd, and shares her story from the Texas border.
Rev. Ali Lopez-Valcarcel of UCC Rio Grande Valley added, “Families are afraid of coming out of their houses, raids have been a constant in our community, our community is suffering, yanking our families and friends out of work and people are scared to go to worship. In Texas, we can’t step out of our house without seeing military, state troopers, we don’t deserve to live in a militarized zone.”
Rev. Yinessa Romero, President of the UCC Latinx Colectivo denounced ICE enforcement in church parking lots and lifted up prayers for the 55,764 who are currently detained, and the more than 253,000 deported, and for those who have been disappeared to foreign prisons. “God of love that knows no borders, we pray for all those detained, and deported, we ask for faith to keep fighting against government policies separating our families, we pray to the liberating God that we may live united, as one family. Amen.”
Talking truth to power
Following the rally, a group of about 20 protestors went to the office of U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, who voted in favor of the massive “One Big Beautiful Bill” ,as Trump dubbed the legislation that would add huge budget increases to ICE, and cut programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.
Rev. Noel Anderson, National Field Director of the Church World Service, was among those who made the trip to see Hawley. Anderson said that while Hawley did not come out to meet the group, he sent a representative staff member.
Rev. Noel Anderson of the Church World Service speaks to the gathered crowd.
“This was about the Mega Bill that recently passed, and will be so devestating to our communities. It will increase ICE funding, immigration enforcement raids, and border militarization. We also spoke about how the Medicaid and SNAP cuts are going to cause more harm to people with health issues and lack of access. I feel Hawley needs to take ownership of this immoral vote that he made.”
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