As Christians, we believe that communities should be safe and welcoming, that children should go to school without fear, and families should attend worship without intimidation. Laws that impose enforcement in places of worship cause communal trauma and further erode trust with government bodies. 

The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (H.R. 1061/S. 455) would prohibit immigration enforcement from conducting operations on the grounds of sensitive locations, such as churches and other places of worship, schools, and hospitals—places where fear has already caused church attendance to fall and school absenteeism to rise. 

Protections that prevented such activity were previously in place before being reversed on inauguration day. Since then, many churches have seen attendance plummet as congregants fear being questioned or detained while worshipping. Some children, particularly younger children who are typically dropped off at school by their parents, have stopped going to school out of similar fears. In California, Central Valley schools have seen an 22% increase in chronic absenteeism. Missing school long-term hurts students’ learning, outcomes, and well-being.  

In the UCC, we proclaim that Love is Louder than hate. Love is louder than racism, xenophobia, and fear-mongering emanating from policymakers who seek to divide and exclude. Instead, we reject actions that strip immigrants of due process and dignity and we affirm our responsibility to protect the sojourner as our neighbor. 

Urge your members of Congress protect our immigrant neighbors during this time. Ask them to co-sponsor and pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act today!