An Invitation to Act with Compassion
by Marselys Lucero, Congregation Peace through Justice Director
© “Christ of Maryknoll” by Brother Robert Lentz, OFM, Courtesy of Trinity Stores, trinitystores.com. Lentz says this image helps us “to see the Christ among the least of us, and to serve the Christ that lives in the margins of this world.”
During my first five months in this position, I’ve immersed myself in learning about acting upon and protesting unjust immigration policies. Like many people of goodwill and heavy conscience, I find myself angrily contemplating the pain inflicted upon migrants through government policies. What is beginning to trouble me more is how ideologies of nationalism, nativism, isolationism, and authoritarianism have gained traction in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It can feel like there is very little compassion in considering the experiences of migrants.
The reasons why a person might leave their home country can include seeking asylum from dangerous climate events or escaping extreme poverty or political instability. Hebrew scripture recognizes these circumstances and the difficulty that migrants might feel in a new place. In Leviticus 19:33-34, God commands the Israelites to “treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for him as for yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt.” God understands that migration for survival is not easy and that the Israelites should encounter strangers with compassion, especially given their experience in foreign lands.
The policies in the U.S. surrounding migrants have been unjust and have harmed countless families. Three years into the COVID pandemic, Title 42[1] was put into place, essentially halting all migration, including asylum seeking along the southern U.S.-Mexico border. Even those with legitimate asylum claims could not apply for refuge in the U.S. Today, there are more than 49,000 people held in detention across the country.[2] Despite President Donald Trump’s proclamation stating that migrants who have committed crimes would be prioritized in detention and deportation efforts, almost half of the people in detention have no criminal record.[3] Many of these people were asked to meet with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for a Green Card interview or to renew their work permits, or were simply students who expressed their political opinion when they were arrested and detained, or deported. Instead of treating the stranger like part of our community, ensuring rights granted by the Constitution, the U.S. government has made it a priority to use migrants to bolster political capital or use as scapegoats. Many people have already sacrificed so much, like isolating themselves for a better economic opportunity, sending wages back to their families in their home countries, or crossing deadly terrain for the chance of stability and security in the U.S. The policies that ignore these sacrifices and refuse to view migrants as people defy the commandment to hold compassion for people around us.
Similarly, migrants attempting to enter the United Kingdom are meeting a shift in policy and tone when it comes to immigration. Though Labour now governs, right-wing factions (that are positioning themselves for stronger political influence in the next decade) continue advocating for deporting migrants to Rwanda as a deterrent, regardless of their origin. Still, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour party are planning policies that are cracking down on unauthorized immigration as well as greatly limiting legal immigration in the form of visas. On May 13, 2025, in a national address, Starmer stated that the U.K. risks becoming “an island of strangers” without limiting immigration. This language identifies migrants as a source of dilution and a loss of identity in the U.K., further highlighting the move toward antimigrant sentiments for even left leaning governments and illustrates this growing sense that immigrants are people to fear instead of people who desire to collaborate in society. Similar to Trump’s decision to deport people to a third country to be held in foreign detention, on May 15, Starmer proposed using foreign detention for asylum seekers who had exhausted the appeal process.[4] These reactive policy ideas and actions point to a lack of compassion and creativity when it comes to confronting and addressing immigration. Two of the world’s leading economic powers making these kinds of decisions makes the future of immigration all the more worrisome as the earth deals with climate change and the effect on human communities.
Since the beginning of this Congregation’s founding, the care for the poor and vulnerable, especially the migrant, has been paramount. Since 1884, sisters and associates have engaged in pastoral work for migrants and will continue to do so. At this moment when our governments are urging the rest of our countries to treat the migrant as a stranger, we must continue to advocate for the dignity and rights of people who arrive in our communities. Over the last few months, our Congregation has participated in protests and demonstrations. We must continue to lend our presence and our voice to advocate on behalf of migrants. We should continue to pay attention to local and state legislation that secures immigrant rights to resources like healthcare. Washington state just passed three laws aimed at protecting immigrant rights, and New Jersey is in a similar process in its state legislature. Plan a regular call or visit to your legislator to advocate for just decisions in national laws. Support organizations that are partners in the work of care and advocacy. If you need any suggestions, NewsNotes, which you can find on our website, is a good place to start. While scripture can be difficult to incorporate into our daily practices and devotions, God’s commandment to love the stranger is an invitation to action that both pleases God and honors the experiences of our neighbors.
Endnotes
1. National Immigration Forum, “Title 42 FAQS,” Accessed May 16, 2025. https://immigrationforum.org/article/title-42-faqs/.
2. Tracreports.org, Accessed May 16, 2025. https://tracreports.org/immigration/quickfacts/detention.html.
3. “Trump claims on immigration Enforcement: Rhetoric vs Reality”, Tracreports.org, Accessed May 16, 2025. https://tracreports.org/reports/759/.
4. Adu, Aletha, Rajeev Syal, and Peter Walker. “Starmer Reveals Plans to Send Refused Asylum Seekers to Overseas ‘Return Hubs.’” The Guardian, Accessed on May 15, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/15/starmer-trip-labelled-an-embarassment-as-albania-rules-out-asylum-seeker-deal
Response to Current Events
Current responses to pressing justice issues can be found at www.csjp.org under the Justice tab, including the Congregation’s statements, such as their recent one on civil unrest.
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This article appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Living Peace.