Last week, the Jewish Center for Justice joined more than 100 U.S. religious or religiously-affiliated organizations by signing an amicus brief in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program. The brief states:

Amici believe, on the basis of faith and morality, that these children and young adults must be protected. Amici therefore offer this brief in support of Respondents in order to address how, in their view, the Government’s proposed termination of DACA (the “Termination Memo”) would cause irreparable harm and constitute a severe detriment to the public. Amici have firsthand knowledge of the valuable contributions to faith and community made by DACA recipients and understand all too well the harm that the termination of DACA would cause.”

JCJ understands that the DACA program serves as a compassionate and appropriate response to the humanitarian crisis posed by the hundreds of thousands of undocumented people brought to this country as children, before they could make choices of their own. The brief continues:

“The arbitrary rescission of DACA will indelibly harm the vitality of their spiritual communities, including by forcing committed members of their congregations and organizations to leave the country or return to the shadows.”

As descendants of an immigrant tradition, we have a moral duty to welcome the stranger, as is commanded of us on 36 occasions in the Torah. Honoring this legacy, the Jewish Center for Justice believes we must call on our elected leaders to reform our nation’s broken immigration system in a manner that acknowledges rule of law while also recognizing the human dignity of undocumented individuals by providing a pathway to legal citizenship. DACA is one such program that must be maintained in order to build a more compassionate and just society for all.

Other faith-based groups that signed the brief include American Jewish Committee, Association of Muslim American Lawyers, Catholic Charities, Central Conference of American Rabbis, Council on American-Islamic Relations (National), Keshet, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Muslim Advocates,  Muslim Public Affairs Council, National Council of Jewish Women; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, United Methodist Women, and The Workmen’s Circle, among others.

To learn more about JCJ’s immigration work, click here.