450 churches prepare to act as Trump-era “underground railroad” for undocumented immigrants

A network of 450 houses of worship across the country are stepping up to act as a kind of “underground railroad” for undocumented immigrants under the nascent Donald Trump administration. The New York Times said that these churches, synagogues and mosques are all part of the Sanctuary Movement — an interfaith movement that began in the 1960s, but which has undergone a revival in recent years as the U.S. has stepped up deportation of undocumented immigrants. The Sanctuary Movement has gained even more momentum since the election of Republican Donald Trump, who has pledged to deport 2 to 3 million unauthorized immigrants who he says are guilty of crimes. While not every church has the space and resources necessary to physically shelter immigrants, all 450 organizations have pledged to provide “money, legal aid, food, child care or transportation”, said the Times‘ Laurie Goodstein (…) Rev. Alexia Salvatierra of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America told the Times that the Sanctuary Movement — which was largely led by white Protestant churches in the 1980s — got a boost in momentum from Latin churches in 2006. As the Obama administration stepped up deportations, churches began to protect their congregants. “We’re in a different universe now. We don’t need the white people to rescue us, thank you very much. We need to be in partnership”, Salvatierra said.

David Ferguson in 450 churches prepare to act as Trump-era ‘underground railroad’ for undocumented immigrants (Rawstory)