January 24, 2025
The Trump Administration has announced its intention to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. As religious leaders in Santa Cruz County from across the faith traditions, we cannot remain silent in the face of these policies that will cause untold damage to our community and our nation. While we recognize the dysfunction of our current immigration system, mass deportations are surely the worst possible solution to this problem. And so we denounce the immorality of these troubling plans and their immense human, social, and economic consequences.
We write with respect for the results of the election and for all of those who voted for President Trump (including many in our own faith communities). At the same time, we cannot deny that our various faith traditions, though diverse, all affirm the dignity and worth of all persons and, in this case, especially of undocumented persons.
To say that each person has inalienable dignity means, among other things, that they have rights. Our Constitution protects the liberty of all residents by due process and equal protection under the law. This cannot happen if both citizens and non-citizens are rounded up and put into camps. There are not enough immigration attorneys to safeguard these rights.
The age-old principle of the Golden Rule is also common to all our religious traditions: To treat others as you would have them treat you. We invite all in our community to reflect on this principle and the prospect of mass deportation. For instance, how would you feel if you were separated from your children and sent over the border? Or how would you feel if you lived peacefully in our community for years; did essential work that no one else wanted to do; paid taxes; and then were rounded up and sent to a detention camp?
Everyone will be affected by this threat to American citizenship. President Trump said that he plans to deny passports to young and adult native-born citizens whose parents are undocumented or revoke their citizenship altogether. The proposed Look Again program may strip naturalized citizens and their children of their citizenship. If American citizenship can be removed from some it can be removed from all.
Consider also the economic costs. Deportation threatens the viability of whole segments of the economy: agribusiness, hotels and restaurants, construction, housing and small business. Some estimate that the cost of deporting 1 million immigrants will be about $88 billion per year. The deportation of 1.2 million homeowners with mortgages would jeopardize the viability of lenders. Nationally 23% of construction workers are undocumented. There are 855,000 with college degrees in business, engineering, communications and social science. Three quarters of a million immigrants are self-employed. Over one half of undocumented residents - about 5 million - speak English well or speak only English.
Furthermore, as many people have the potential to be removed from our congregations and community, it undoubtedly means that many children may be left behind on their own or in the care of guardians. There are 3.3 million people nationally living in mixed status households with documented and undocumented family members that could be torn apart. Separating families living in peace and contributing to our society is not a viable path forward.
We support the work of schools, local government, and community organizers to protect this most vulnerable segment of our population. We also applaud the decision of California government at all levels to refuse or limit cooperation with Federal efforts to bring about mass deportations. As faith leaders, we commit ourselves to educating those affected about their rights and to help them find ways to protect their families.
We call on our congregations and on all people of good will to speak up and act on behalf of all our friends, families, and neighbors both undocumented and documented in this ominous moment in our country.
For more information on how to take action, please visit our website at www.santacruzinterfaith.org .
Rev. Terra Collier-Young, Affiliated Community Minister -- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County
Rev. Elisha Christopher, Spiritual Director -- Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Cruz
Rev. David Pattee, Pastor -- Peace United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Scott Newman, Associate Pastor -- Santa Cruz Bible Church
Rev. Matt Roden, Pastor -- Santa Cruz Bible Church
Rev. Martin Yabroff, Rector -- St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Ben Lomond
Paul Haenze -- Santa Cruz Bible Church
Sam Altis, Executive Director -- Association of Faith Communities
Judy Hutchison, Chairwoman of the Board -- Association of Faith Communities
Naweed Fayez -- The Santa Cruz Welcoming Network
Karen Haenze -- Santa Cruz Bible Church
Rev. Beverly Brook -- Peace United Church of Christ
Margaret Loehr, -- Westview Presbyterian Church
Santa Cruz Bread and Roses Catholic Worker
Dr. David DeCosse -- Santa Clara University/Santa Cruz Bread and Roses Catholic Worker
Rev. Dr. Randy Pozos, Deacon -- Star of the Sea Catholic Church
Rabbi Lori Klein
Rev. Onryu Patrick Teverbaugh -- Santa Cruz Zen Center
Rev. Bonnie Lange, Pastor -- La Selva Beach Community Church
Rev. Dr. Mark Fountain, Congregational Minister
Rev. Julianne Porras-Center, Executive Director/Organizing Pastor -- Somos Watsonville
Rev. John Song, Pastor -- Watsonville First United Methodist Church
Rev. Steve Palmisano -- Santa Cruz Zen Center
Rev. Kangse Lee, Pastor -- United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz
Rev. Dr. Larry Vilardo -- Trinity Presbyterian Church
Jon Showalter -- Association of Faith Communities/St. John's Episcopal Church
Rev. Diane Ford, Pastor -- Trinity Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Paula Marcus, Senior Rabbi -- Temple Beth El Aptos
Rev. Jim Lapp, Pastor -- St. Stephen's Lutheran Church
Rev. Erika Jackson-Essiem, Interim Rector -- The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist Aptos
Robin Spurlock
Rev. Trudy Franzen, Pastor -- Lutheran Community Church, Watsonville
Susan Witmer -- Santa Cruz Bible Church
Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig, Minister -- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County
Dr. Paul Johnston -- Santa Cruz Welcoming Network/Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Patrick Conway, Deacon -- Resurrection Church
Alice Coulombe, Clerk -- Worship and Ministry Committee of Santa Cruz Friends Meeting
Rabbi Eli Cohen, Rabbi -- Chadeish Yameinu Jewish Renewal of Santa Cruz
Rev. Canon Katherine B. Doar, Rector -- St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church, Scott's Valley
Lois MacGilllivray, SNJM -- Sisters of the Holy Names
Rev. Vicky Elder, Senior Minister -- Unity of Monterey Bay