Endorse the Texas Interfaith Religious Leaders' Statement on Immigration Legislation in the 82nd Texas Legislature
Agree with the religious leaders' statement? Endorse it by filling out the form below.
Texas Interfaith Leaders’ Statement on Immigration Legislation in the 82nd Texas Legislature
As Texas religious leaders, we unite our voices to call on our Legislature for a new and gracious tone in our state’s immigration debate. We encourage lawmakers to focus on healing Texas communities and affirming the rights and inherent worth of every person. Our nation’s immigration system is flawed and results in suffering not only within our borders, but also throughout the rest of the world. Our faith traditions have called strenuously and tirelessly for Congress to reform our federal immigration system, and we will continue to do so. We recognize and support the right of the United States to protect and secure our border and enforce our immigration laws. We support the work of lawmakers and law enforcement officials in protecting all people in Texas. However, when working to maintain and improve public safety, our Texas Legislators should be cautious when considering policies that could detract from safety and risk the inadvertent deprivation of the civil and constitutional rights of citizens and lawful permanent residents. We urge Texas legislators to provide guidance and leadership to our state by rejecting policies that could encourage discrimination, co-opt local law enforcement, or scapegoat immigrants. As policymakers and leaders, Texas legislators have the opportunity and responsibility to guide our whole community into a future of compassion, gratitude, and mutual respect. By affirming the dignity of every person, including those who migrate, lawmakers can help the people of Texas move from fear to respect. And only with respect can we work with all Americans to build a truly just national immigration system.
Endorsers:
Dennis Bade, United Methodist
Christine Bailie
Carol Bayens, St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Community
Don Brown, Congregational Church of Austin
Sharon Brown, Congregational Church of Austin
David Boyd, St. David's Episcopal, Austin
Larry Burton
Sharon Camfield
Bill Carter, Parker Lane United Methodist Church, Austin
Joe Clifford, First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
Catherine Cueller, First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
Philip Cummings, Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston
Erika Davis
Tom Davis, Convenant of the Goddess
Manuel de la Cruz Gutierrez, Queen of Peace Catholic Church
Kathy DeMeulle, FUMC Corpus Christi
Leona Diener, Mennonite
Alison Dieter, Live Oak UU Church
Adele Dominguez, Catholic
C. Andrew Doyle, IX Bishop of Texas, Episcopal Diocese of Texas
Lisa Drummond, First United Methodist Church, Taylor
Andrea Earl
John Elford, University UMC
Brian Evans, St. Austin's Catholic Church
Ann B. Fields, FUMC Austin
Wayne Finch, United Christian Church, Austin
Eileen Garcia
Marijo Hartman, FUMC, Austin
Sean Hennigan, Hyde Park Baptist
Brian Heymans, University United Methodist Church
Charles Hubbard, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Marylin Jones
Gaye Kopas, St. Andrews Presbyterian
Steve Ledesma, Catholic
Gilberto Lopez
Maggie Manley, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
Deborah Michalewicz, St. Therese Catholic
Rosemary Miranda, Episcopal
Kathy Morales, FUMC Austin
SarahLee Morris, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Lubbock
Sandra Nicholson, University Presbyterian Church
Nancy Palavicini, Trinity UMC - Arlington
Richard Petree
Carina Ramirez, Temple Mt. Sinai
Camille Raycraft, FUMC Austin
Martha Renfroe, St. John's UMC
Martha Richardson
Merry Rightmer, First United Methodist - Austin
Mary Riley, United Methodist
Charles Rives, United Methodist
Cynthia Rives, Central Texas Conference United Methodist Women President
Amanda Robinson, Agudas ACHIM
Cecile Roeger, Dominican Sisters of Houston
David Roschke, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Patricia Rosenblad, First United Methodist Church, Austin
Owen Ross, Christ's Foundry United Methodist Mission
Patty Saragusa, St. Thomas More Catholic
Kathy Schermerhorn
Eva K. Schulze, Star UMC
Karen Schmeltekopf,The Gathering United Church of Christ
Greg Sells, University United Methodist Church
Emily Shelton, University United Methodist
Armando Solar-Schultz, Catholic
Larry Smith, Live Oak UU
T. Randall Smith, Faith Community: Chair, Peace with Justice, Texas Annual Conference United Methodist Church
John Sorensen, Lutheran
Laura Stafford, United Methodist
Jason Taylor, Congregation Agudas Achim
Ann Teich, First United Methodist-Austin
Gloria Thomas, United Methodist
Aerin Toussaint
Sister Rose Marie Tresp, Catholic
Edward Triem, Presbyterian
Kathryn Tullos, First Methodist, Austin
Tom VandeStandt, Congregational Church of Austin United Church of Christ
Courtney Watson, Episcopal
Joseph Watt, Lutheran
Ron Wilhelm, Methodist
Betty Wonderly, Arapaho UMC
Sandra Woodall, St. Mark's Episcopal Church
Ethelia Worden, Methodist
Rebecca Wright, Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Santa Fe, TX
Stephanie Wyatt, Church in the Cliff, Dallas
Selena Xie, FUMC Dallas
Elizabeth Yeats, Religious Society of Friends
Curt Yowell, St. Catherine of Sienna, Austin
Diane Zbasnik, St. Catherine of Sienna, Austin and Emmaus, Lakeway
Paul Zoltan, Episcopal
