| Heeding The Call To Resist

Our Commitment to SanctuaryAs people of faith and people of conscience, we pledge to resist the President‐elect’s policy proposals to harass and deport millions of undocumented immigrants and discriminate against AMEMSA ( Arab/ Middle Eastern/ Muslim/ South Asian) communities. We will embody faithful resistance in the public square and open our congrega ons and communities to provide sanctuary for anyone targeted by state‐sanctioned scapegoating, working as a matter of faith to ensure the dignity and human rights of all people.

Calling upon the ancient traditions of our faiths, which recognized houses of worship as a refuge for the runaway slave, the conscientious objector, and the Central American refugee fleeing the civil wars of the 1980s, Sanctuary is once again growing among communities of faith that are standing in solidarity with Central American immigrants, AMEMSA and other communities facing immoral and unjust deportation and discrimination policies.

We find ourselves entering a new phase of U.S. history wherein the politics of fear has stoked an atmosphere of racism and xenophobia across the country. The new Administration has pledged to criminalize, detain and deport undocumented people at new levels that will tear families and communities apart.

We pledge to take civil initiative out of our moral obligation to embody principles of human rights and dignity, and to oppose any harmful, unjust policies that undermine due process and injure communities within our neighborhoods.

By signing this pledge, we are dedicating ourselves to educate and activate our congregations, to amplify and respond to the voices of immigrant and AMEMSA leaders, and to speak out against the discrimination of all marginalized people. We are ready to open the doors of our sacred spaces and accompany those facing deportation and discrimination.

We support those willing to provide sanctuary not only in houses of worship, but also at schools, hospitals, college campuses, community centers and family homes. We will work with partner organizations to create sanctuary wherever it is needed.
​Adapted by CLUE from the Sanctuary Movement (Rev. Alison Harrington) for use in the context of Southern California

The Resolution

Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles Resolution Regarding Becoming a Sanctuary Diocese 

Resolved, that the One Hundred Twenty-first Annual Meeting of the Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles declares the Diocese of Los Angeles to be a Sanctuary Diocese; and be it further

 
Resolved, that the Diocese of Los Angeles, as people of faith and people of conscience, pledges to resist the stated policy proposals of the newly elected Trump administration to target and deport millions of undocumented immigrants, and to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that has granted temporary relief for thousands of young people in our communities and families; and be it further 

Resolved, that the congregations and institutions of the Diocese of Los Angeles consider 
becoming Sanctuary Congregations and Institutions, serving as places of welcome, refuge, healing, and other forms of material and pastoral support for those targeted by hate due to immigration status or some perceived status of difference, and that we work alongside our friends, families, and neighbors to ensure the dignity and human rights of all people; and be it further

 
Resolved, that the Diocese of Los Angeles connect with other local and national sanctuary communities and institutions, immigrant rights groups and coalitions, and engage in educating, organizing, advocacy, and direct action, and other methods as deemed appropriate in each context, to ensure the safety and security of the undocumented community; and be it further 

Resolved, that the Diocese of Los Angeles assist in equipping congregations, clergy and lay leaders to engage in such work, appropriate to local contexts, capacity, and discernment. 
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Explanation 

For many years, immigrant families have suffered on the margins of our society. They have been scapegoated during difficult economic times and victimized by harsh anti-immigrant ordinances passed by some states and localities. 
In the aftermath of the recent presidential election there is heightened concern that the 
campaign rhetoric villainizing immigrants will become policy targeting them because of their immigration status or religious beliefs. 

As a people of faith committed to dismantling oppressive systems and building structures and communities that reflect God’s compassion and justice, we must do nothing less than make straight a highway in the desert for our sisters and brothers. 

This resolution puts our faith into action by standing with the growing number of cities, colleges and communities of faith declaring themselves places of welcome, refuge, healing, for those targeted by hate due to immigration status or some perceived status of difference as we work alongside our friends, families, and neighbors to ensure the dignity and human rights of all