This is the second in a three-part series on being a common good voter. This series is looking at issues relevant to the 2020 Election in light of the commitments of the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

Create environments of peace by promoting non-violence, unity in diversity, and reconciliation among ourselves, in the Church and throughout the world.

Promote justice through solidarity with those who are marginalized, especially women and children, and work with others to identify and transform oppressive systems.

Create welcoming communities, inviting others to join us as vowed members, associates, volunteers, and partners in our mission to be the Holy Preaching.

The Dominican Sisters of Peace

“There is a humanitarian crisis at the U.S. border: one of immigrant children separated from their parents and migrants dying as they seek refuge. There is a crisis of walls built through communities and of refugee families in camps or military bases. The Trump administration is now joining more than 53,000 people in increasingly fatal conditions.

                                                 Friends Committee on National Legislation

We need voters to call on Congress and a president committed to humanitarian assistance, rooted in traditional religious values that demand fair treatment of immigrants, including uniting families.

What needs to happen?

• Scarce U.S. dollars must not be spent on border militarization and detention. In Q2 of 2019 alone, the Administration earmarked 12 BILLION dollars for the border wall and border enforcement.
• Policies must end the separation of children from their parents. To date, more than 1,000 children who were separated are not accounted for.
• We must create a path to lawful status and citizenship. Under Trump, as election approaches, almost 235,000 fewer new citizens will be sworn in this fiscal year.
• We must stop the mass incarceration of immigrants. According to ICE statistics, there were 20,138 individuals in detention as of September 11, 2020.  Another 650+ children were being secretly detained in hotels while awaiting deportation,
• Workers must be protected, regardless of immigration status. Wage theft costs $2 billion in earnings per year in California alone.
• Humanitarian values must be promoted in all cases. The administration is consistently deporting persons with string cases for asylum.

When we vote for the next president and senators, will we vote for those who uphold the Bill of Rights and other constitutional protections, not discriminating on the basis of religion and ethnicity?  Do we want to elect leaders who believe in due process for immigrants and refugees, including those who are members of other faith traditions-who enter the United States?

The Atlantic reports that the Supreme Court upheld the president’s “travel ban” policy, which barred most entry into the United States from Muslim-majority nations.  The Supreme Court upheld this policy despite overwhelming evidence of religious discrimination targeting Muslims.  The need for common good voters for immigration reform is urgent.

On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to start accepting new DACA applications and requests for advanced placements.  This was a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of dreamers.

Dreamers were brought to the United States at a young age, some only infants.  They have no connection with the country of their birth.  Many said they did not know that they were undocumented immigrants until they were teenagers.  DACA provides a path to citizenship for the dreamers if they have committed no crime.

DACA recipients are doctors, nurses, business owners, grocery store workers who have contributed their skills and commitment to the United States.  They study in our schools, serve in our military, pray in our churches.  The United States is served in many ways by these 787,580 dreamers.

When we vote for the next president and senators, we are voting for common good justice for DACA recipients.   We are echoing our congregation’s corporate statement on immigration:

“We call for comprehensive immigration reform that would provide additional viable, legal avenues for immigrants, reunite families, legalize undocumented persons. And establish opportunities for permanent residence.”

Our voices need to be heard. Yours will be heard only if you vote.