Faith leaders’ ongoing reaction to Trump ban on refugees

posted by Creator Mundi

By Julie Asher

A woman protests outside Trump International Hotel Jan. 29 in Washington. (CNS photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann, Catholic Standard)

WASHINGTON (CNS) — More than a week ago, when President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum intended to restrict the entry of terrorists coming to the United States in the guise of refugees, the action brought quick response from Catholic and other religious leaders. Trump’s executive action suspends the entire U.S. refugee resettlement program for 120 days and bans entry of all citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries — Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia — for 90 days. It also establishes religious criteria for refugees, proposing to give priority to religious minorities over others who may have equally compelling refugee claims.

As of late Friday a federal judge in Seattle temporarily halted Trump’s denial of entry to those traveling to the U.S. from the seven majority-Muslim countries. Early this morning the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, based in San Francisco, denied the Justice Department’s request for an immediate reinstatement of the ban on those travelers. Court battles will continue in the days ahead.

In the days following Trump’s action, statements of reaction from Catholic bishops and other faith leaders have continued to pour forth. Here are links to many of them:

— Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president and vice president, respectively, of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a joint statement. Archbishop Gomez also discussed Trump’s action in a column on the Los Angeles archdiocesan media platform, Angelus. Even before Trump was inaugurated, Archbishop Gomez on Jan. 20, the eve of the new president’s swearing-in, urged a new recognition of the humanity of immigrants.

— Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration.

— Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Massachusetts, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore and Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New Mexico — chairmen of bishops committees on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Religious Liberty (ad hoc) and International Justice and Peace. Archbishop Lori also wrote an open letter to Catholics in his archdiocese addressing the new reality for refugees. Bishop Rozanski also issued a separate statement. And in his diocese, Bishop Cantu led a prayer service.

— Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of (Read More)

Source:: https://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/faith-leaders-ongoing-reaction-to-trump-ban-on-refugees/