Quakers Sue DHS over Immigration Enforcement

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Filming and Editing by Layla Cuthrell
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Transcript:

In this decision to bring a suit against the department of homeland security in this policy change of immigration enforcement, I truly do not see a political position. For myself as a Quaker or for the wider body of Friends. I see it as an affirmation and a very positive reinforcement of constitutional rights that this country is founded on -- that ensure the freedom of expression of religion, the freedom to associate, to bring communities of faith together without penalty.

My name is Rebecca Leuchak. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I'm from the land of the Narragansett, Wampanoag, and the Pokanoket -- in a place that we call Providence, Rhode Island. And I serve currently as the presiding Clerk of New England Yearly Meeting. Shortly after the change of administration in Washington, a change was made to end a 30 year practice to consider houses of worship as safe and not allowing immigration authorities to enter and conduct immigration business. That policy, which had been in alignment with our constitutional rights and had been practiced for 30 years, was suddenly removed. This was a decision which we as Quakers felt deeply, deeply concerned about, and we decided -- with our sister yearly meetings of New York Yearly Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and Baltimore Yearly Meeting. -- to file a suit against Homeland Security. In particular, with regard to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

It really speaks to all of our testimonies. It's core to who we are. Historically as a religious society, we believe that it is in the corporate discernment of the divine that we move forward, and the ability to gather together, to hold meeting for worship, is fundamental. And that goes across denominations. It's clear that the right to practice one's religion does not mean simply that an individual can hold certain religious beliefs. It also, and very importantly, means that people of similar faith can come together and congregate, and that's something that is so fundamental to us in our faith tradition because of the persecution in the early time of Quakerism, in the 1650s. So we're keenly aware of that history and we're keenly aware of the ways that Spirit moves among us. That idea that we bring together our divine light in an attempt to really understand.

I do also feel that moving to make this decision, the discernment was spirit-led, and that it was really, really listening for what God is intending us to do that led us to take these actions. Discernment is not something that starts from a tabula rasa. It does not start from zero. It starts from an understanding of the centuries old clarity, truth, that Quakers had sought through divine guidance. What we're talking about here is a process of ongoing revelation that has spanned centuries. We know that we are called to do God's work in the world, an ever-changing world. And so it is that commitment to on going revelation and being God's hands that is really at the core of what this is all about.

The servant leaders of our yearly meeting, and of the other yearly meetings who are plaintiffs, recognize that resources needed to be available so that individual friends, monthly meetings, quarterly meetings, knew or know how to approach these issues. New England yearly meeting has created a website that has a wealth of materials. The concern for immigrants, immigration policy and the fate of individuals has been a concern that Quakers have held for a very long time. Our brothers and sisters who find themselves in situations that are difficult, have their own networks, have their own communities, and perhaps even that's the first place one goes when one really needs support.

So I see this as a kind of beginning of something, and it will be a long haul. So I encourage other Quaker communities to really think about how they can move forward with this as well. There is an incredibly compelling sense of care for not just the communities that are plaintiffs, but for the wider body of humanity. It's really about the humanness, the care and love for all people that is at the heart of this. And that's not a political position.

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The views expressed in this video are of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Friends Journal or its collaborators.