treated like a criminal

The tragedy of our broken immigration system was shoved in my face again this week: as the father of one of the families I’m closest to was picked up again by immigration. 

Arriving at his family’s house (where he doesn’t live any more because fear of 'la migra'), officials blockaded his oldest kids as they tried to drive to work. After telling these teens they were looking for a ‘bad man’ and interrogating them, they entered without showing warrants, and started shining flashlights around looking for him.  Surprised, they only found his two youngest daughters hiding in a closet, terrified. They handcuffed the 18-year-old son, and him put in the back of the car, telling him to take them to where his dad lives and place of work. 

Later that morning, I heeded the request of the father’s teenage sister, to go to his place of work and see if he was okay.  As we drove around looking for him, a car started following us.  I eventually stopped in a church parking lot, to have two officials come and show me their badges, and then a picture of the man. ‘Do you know him?’  My heart raced, as I replied in affirmation.  Feeling myself like a criminal, and yet not having done anything wrong.  They continued with a very nerve-wracking ‘field interview’, as I sought to be honest and careful. 

After finding no reason to detain us longer and reminding us to steer clear of their investigation, they let us go, and followed us…for about 20 minutes back to Mt. Vernon.

I’ve had friends tell me these officials have followed them.  I didn’t really understand until now, what that feels like.  Here I am an English-speaking US Citizen with no warrant let alone criminal history.  I have nothing to fear yet I was near traumatized, as were the kids in my car, and the ones back at the house. 

Now the father is back in Mexico, his family separated once again.  His crime? Wanting to provide food, shelter, and good education for his kids. Although I believe people who do commit crimes should also be treated with dignity and respect, it doesn't seem to just to treat these neighbors as if they are dangerous and a threat to society. 

Oh Lord have mercy. Jesus, you who were treated like a criminal and died a criminal's death, who welcomes the stranger, and befriends the outcasts, who came that we may have life and life to the fullest. We pray for your Kingdom breaking in here on earth. 

“A Prayer of Hope”

By Archbishop Oscar Romero

It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision…

We lay foundations that will need further development

We provide yeast that produces the effects far beyond our capabilities

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation realizing that

This enables us to do something, and to do it well

It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker

We are the workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs we are prophets of a future not our own

Amen

Friends, please pray for this family, as they recover and adjust to his absence, and his financial support. May they also see glimpses of His Kingdom, light amidst the darkness.