Madison Friends Meeting Minute on the Quaker Lawsuit Against the Department of Homeland Security
Madison Monthly Meeting joins in spirit with the several Quaker Meetings who have brought suit against the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to rescind the long-standing practice of not invading houses of worship to apprehend undocumented immigrants. Like our fellow Quakers, we remain committed to religious liberty and peace and support their use of the legal process to ensure that participants in all faith communities are safe and secure from intimidation, threats, and violence.
While the lawsuit focuses on houses of worship, we also express opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers entering schools and hospitals. The threat of these actions will keep children from pursuing their education and those who are ill from receiving needed care. While these are immediate threats to those individuals, our community is all the poorer in the long run if everyone is not well educated and healthy.
Finally, we reject the falsehoods underlying these actions that immigrants, whether here legally or undocumented, are a threat to us as individuals or as a society. Immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, are less likely to be incarcerated in prisons, convicted of crimes, or arrested than native-born Americans. Immigrants, as has always been the case, bring a cultural diversity that enriches our communities. And they also contribute economically: for example, undocumented immigrant workers perform an estimated 70% of the labor on Wisconsin dairy farms.
We resonate with what our Quaker Washington lobby, Friends Committee on National Legislation, reminds us: Love Thy Neighbor: No Exceptions.
Approved: February 2, 2025
Information Sheet
References
- Less likely to be incarcerated….15 Myths About Immigration Debunked
- Perform 70% of labor…https://schoolforworkers.wisc.edu/trapped-on-wisconsin-farms-the-hidden-plight-of-trafficked-workers/
Information About the Lawsuit
- Quakers Sue DHS over Immigration Enforcement and Religious Freedom
- Interview with Noah Merrill, New England Yearly Meeting General Secretary, explaining why Quaker groups are suing the administration: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/why-quaker-groups-suing-trump-administration-ice-arrests/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1 or https://cbsn.ws/40OIOCb.
More Resources
The Northern Yearly Meeting Statement on the lawsuit includes information on possible actions that individuals and Meetings might take, how to financially support the lawsuit, and links to additional resources.