Faith Leaders From Around the Country March to the US/Mexico Border in Support of Migrant Caravan

Update 12/11/2018: Rae Abileah was one of 30 who were arrested at the border after participating in civil disobedience.

Hundreds of clergy and faith leaders from a variety of denominations are at the US/Mexico border today as part of a day of action organized by the American Friends Service Committee in support of the migrant caravan in Tijuana and those seeking asylum and refuge in the US.

Faith Leaders From Around the Country March to the US/Mexico Border in Support of Migrant Caravan KGNU News

Reverend Shawna Foster of the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist congregation in Carbondale is one of about a dozen faith leaders from Colorado participating in a walk to the border. Reverend Foster who is a veteran and a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, says the military is intrinsically linked to immigration issues.

“One the other side of the border here in Tijuana there are two deported veterans houses of people who served in our military who ended up being deported, because when you serve in the military, you’re not guaranteed a citizenship. In fact there are people who have undocumented status who are deployed to the border (as part of the US military) right now, because of how broken our immigration system is.”

Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Rae Abileah who is leading the Colorado clergy delegation says she is willing to risk arrest today.

“I feel compelled to do this as a daughter of immigrants, I am a first generation American, and as someone who grew up in a Jewish family where we learned of our own people’s slavery and exodus and exile and our own people’s determination to struggle for freedom.”