Dozens gather at Dallas church to pray for immigration reform

More people are rallying for immigration reform. Especially for it to be compassionate and humane. DP

By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News

Dozens met Sunday to pray, sing and rally at Munger Place United Methodist Church for what they described as sensible immigration reform that doesn’t demonize or punish newcomers to this country.

The Dallas gathering was one of more than 100 events nationwide sponsored by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition. They were scheduled during the current congressional recess, when many members of the U.S. House and Senate are in their districts.

Lori Stafford, a local organizer with United Methodist Women, said that all members of the North Texas congressional delegation were invited as were members of the state Legislature.

She said she wanted them to see “that their constituents want progress on humane and just immigration reform.”

None of the legislators from Austin or Washington, D.C., attended the Dallas event, one of eight in Texas.

The rally assembled U.S.-born activists with immigrants hailing from such places as Pakistan, Brazil and the Congo to listen to religious music as well as Christian, Muslim and Jewish speakers.

Many cited the election of President Barack Obama, whose father was a Kenyan immigrant, as hope for a change in the approach to immigration legislation. In recent years, there’s been a vocal call among many conservatives to crack down on illegal immigration and have law enforcement work harder to return illegal immigrants to their home countries.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t have to live in fear of being separated from their children,” said Rev. Owen K. Ross, pastor of Christ’s Foundry of the United Methodist Church.
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