ELCA vows support for migrants
Signaling its support for immigrants, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to declare itself a “sanctuary church body” at its Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee. Later on August 7, assembly participants marched to the door of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Milwaukee as part of a prayer vigil for migrant children and their families.
Both events came in response to President Trump’s policies at the United States border with Mexico and his pledge to deport millions.
“It just keeps getting worse and worse in terms of unaccompanied children, separated families, detention centers that are just horrific, and so what we wanted to say as a church body, as the Lutheran Church, we wanted to now act with our feet and take action,” said Evelyn Soto Straw, director of unit operations and programs for the ELCA’s Domestic Mission.
