Faith Leaders Condemn ICE Violence In Texas
The faith leaders at the Texas Capitol noted that recent violent actions from ICE go against their religious traditions and beliefs while calling for specific reforms
On Wednesday, July 22, several faith and community leaders from around Texas gathered at the Texas Capitol to condemn the recent actions of ICE, and called for Texas lawmakers to take specific actions against the federal agency.
The gathering of religious leaders occurred less than three weeks after the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. Salgado Araujo was killed early July 7 in Magnolia Park after a vehicle he was driving was stopped by ICE officers, and he was fatally shot.
The faith leaders at the Texas Capitol represented a range of organizations including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ and the National Council of Jewish Women. Many of the speakers noted that recent violent actions from ICE go against their religious traditions and beliefs.
Rev. Dan De Leon, a pastor in College Station, talked about how Salgado Araujo was his age (53) and a father and neighbor. De Leon then spoke about increases in ICE presence around College Station, and that they had recently picked up a father, the sole family bread winner, with a child with autism. De Leon then led the crowd in a chant of “we need peace.”
Bettie Forman, representing the National Council of Jewish Women, told the crowd that Judaism “calls on us to protect the stranger.” She then encouraged everyone to join the faith leaders in their demands for ICE accountability, and calling on the Texas legislature to take a stand “against violence in our towns and cities.”
Grace Bonilla with Texas Impact, a grassroots religious network who helped organize the press conference, then presented several reforms that Texas lawmakers can demand from ICE. “Texas leaders are not powerless, they can demand better from federal agencies and how this state cooperates with federal enforcement,” said Bonilla.
Some of the specific demands the group is looking for from ICE include clear and enforceable limits on force and vehicle-based tactics; an end to using unmarked vehicles and plain clothes; ensuring every federal immigration agent is wearing clearly visible ID and body cameras; and true accountability and oversight when an act of violence is perpetrated.
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