CURRENT ISSUE

Department

Welcoming Our New Neighbors

by Jessica Tate

The United States enjoys a rich tradition of freedom and hospitality. We embrace our society as a melting pot of people and cultures from around the world. In so doing we act out neighborly virtues of welcome, generosity and love.
However, in today's society our care and concern for our neighbors, especially for foreign-born people, is waning. In the name of national security we impinge on the civil liberties of refugees and asylum seekers as well as all foreign-born people. Our neighborliness is transforming into skepticism and scrutiny.

As a result of our fear, the United States has begun to limit personal freedoms and commit human rights violations, such as

· The Special Registration Program, which requires all peoples of a given nationality to register with Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) for fingerprints and photographs. Special Registration has resulted in hundreds of arrests of people awaiting permanent residency status, who have been issued employment authorization or are eligible for lawful residency. The program has caused a great deal of confusion among immigrant communities because of inadequate publicity, INS personnel and resources.

· Indefinite detention of asylum seekers arriving in the United States without proper access to counsel or adequate facilities. Detention results from heightened security precautions without the resources necessary to evaluate all cases.

· Use of local law enforcement to help combat terrorism by enforcing immigration law. Fear of detention or deportation over immigration status prevents immigrants from interacting with local law enforcement. As a result law enforcement officials cannot rely on the trust of the community to help investigate or deter crime.

We need to be mindful as a nation and as people of faith, that our increased concern for security does not compromise the principles on which our country is based or our call to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked or care for the sick.

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Contact the Presbyterian Washington Office for information on issues affecting immigrants or to join their email list serve. Call 202/543-1126 or visit their Web site, www.pcusa.org/washington.

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Visit the Presbyterian Disaster Relief Web site, www.pcusa.org/pda, and learn how the church responds to neighbors in need.

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Visit your members of congress in their local offices to voice concern for how we treat our neighbors.

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Jessica Tate is the intern for outreach, immigration and children's issues for the Presbyterian Washington Office.

For more information, contact the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office, 110 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002; 202/543-1126; fax 202/543-7755; www.pcusa.org.

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