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Faith Leaders Speak Out

“Asylum seekers come to our country seeking protection and safety, and also to put their creativity and talents at the service of our communities,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz from El Paso. “Yet lengthy bureaucratic delays keep them from contributing and providing for themselves and their families. I welcome efforts from Congress and the administration to streamline the ability to work, giving us the ability, as Pope Francis calls us, to welcome, protect, promote and integrate our new neighbors.”

”All people, regardless of their immigration status, deserve the dignity of legal work.” said Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. “Jewish law requires that we have one legal code for both ourselves and the 'ger' (sojourner) in our midst. We are compelled by our tradition to support the Asylum Seekers Work Authorization Act (H.R. 1325), which would reduce the waiting period for asylum seekers’ work permits and help them support themselves with dignified and legal work while they wait for the conclusion of their asylum case.”

“One chilly Chicago morning, I saw a 20-tent city nestled in a park as sparsely bundled up children stood outside, wearing backpacks, getting ready for the uncertainty of the day,” said Detroit-based Muslim community organizer Ustadha Hazel Gomez. “My heart fell watching fathers bend over to kiss their children and mothers looking through bags for food. The sooner these children's parents are able to work, the sooner they will be able to provide more security for their children and have more stability in their own lives including getting a roof over their heads. As Muslims, we follow a Prophetic saying which states that one of the rights of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve is housing. By supporting the bipartisan Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (H.R. 1325), we are helping our new neighbors to earn a living sooner and in turn, get a home that much sooner. May we live into our values of wanting for others what we want for ourselves, ameen.”

”When asylum seekers arrive to the United States, many express a desire to create a new life that is not dependent on charity but one that includes self-determination and the right to work,” said Rev. Dave Nagler, Bishop of the Pacifica Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. “The current work authorization waiting period foils this. Because of the pressure to survive, individuals may work regardless, jeopardizing their legal process, opening chances of exploitation, and breaching the rule of law. It is not just.
I learned about this challenge when I served as pastor of a congregation in San Diego. A family seeking asylum stayed with us for over three years. We watched them grow more frustrated as the system would not allow them to work to meet their basic needs. With the support of the congregation, they were able to sustain their family while being ineligible to work.
The right to work is tied to the dignity of all human beings. Work is fundamental to our ability to sustain and keep a livelihood and it is this that allows us to live out our potential and God-given dignity as human beings (Genesis 1:27). Welcoming the stranger is also essential to how I live out my Christian faith (Matthew 25:35). Congress can enhance the vital role places of worship play as they walk with newcomers by addressing this wait period.
The bipartisan H.R.1325 helps families sustain themselves through access to work and it revamps the system that frustrates so many. This way, people who seek to live in freedom and security in our nation can have their basic needs met in a way that honors their dignity.”

“We must allow asylum seekers the right to work to support themselves and their families and to contribute to the communities in which they live,” said Rabbi Megan Doherty, senior educator at HIAS. “HIAS supports the efforts to increase access to work authorization for asylum seekers so that they may lead the dignified existence that is deserved by all people. Jewish tradition emphasizes the importance of work and of ethical labor practices. Expediting the access of asylum seekers to the traditional labor market would support our communities, our economies, and would offer these individuals the resources and peace of mind to focus on the needs of their asylum case.”

“Unitarian Universalists are happy to join many allied organizations in the Let Asylum Seekers Work Campaign,” said Pablo DeJesús, Executive Director of Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice. “We strongly support the long overdue effort to give asylum seekers quicker and easier access to work authorization. They want to work and their families need that income to survive and thrive. Our UU commitment to the inherent worth and dignity of all people gives this campaign a moral importance. At the same time, all over the country businesses are seeking additional willing employees to meet long-standing economic needs and service their customers. Likewise, jurisdictions that welcome asylum seekers -- immigrants -- into their communities, and workforce, yield positive results for their local area economies, adding needed vitality and activity. This is a win-win situation for our morals and our policy, for our economies and our labor force. A win-win for our communities and our people. We call on Congress to move quickly to make this happen!”

“America is known as the land of opportunity,” said Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director of the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. “Asylum seekers have fled fear, starvation, violence, and death threats. Once safe in our country, many remain at risk of human trafficking and abuse. Employment offers them security and a way to support themselves and their families. Asylum seekers seek safety. And they seek opportunity. They seek work and independence. However, our antiquated system shuts them out of the workforce for months at a time. The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd supports HR 1325, which would reduce the work permit wait time for asylum seekers. It also would reduce unnecessary paperwork for businesses and individuals along with eliminating additional bureaucracy and red tape. Let us welcome asylum seekers and give them access to employment, safety and self-sustainability.”

“Work is integral to human life and dignity,” said Sister Marie Lucey, Associate Director of Franciscan Action Network. “As Catholic Christians we know that Jesus worked as a carpenter for most of his life. St. Francis of Assisi devoted a chapter in his Rule of Life to the way his followers should serve and work, accepting compensation ‘for their own material needs and for that of their brothers and sisters.’ Some of the hardest workers in the United States came here as migrants. Asylum seekers are not asking for a handout. They are asking to work in order to support themselves and their families and contribute to the wellbeing of this society. Shortening the wait time for work permits benefits asylum seekers, their families, employers in need of workers, and local economies. FAN calls on Congress to take quick action to pass this bi-partisan, win-win legislation.”

“UUSC, an institution grounded in the values of Unitarian Universalism and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, affirms the human right to asylum and the human right to work,” said Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, president and lead executive officer of UUSC. “We honor the agency of those seeking asylum in the United States, people who are fleeing incredible dangers, who are eager to build a new life and to engage in meaningful work in their new communities. UUSC is glad to join in support for HR 1325, the Asylum Seeker Authorization Act, and urges Congress to pass this important bill quickly for the good of all our neighbors, new and old.”

“Those seeking asylum have gone to great lengths and made innumerable sacrifices in the search for safety after facing persecution. Asylum seekers need the ability to become self-sufficient and create stability that comes with meaningful employment in a timely manner, so they can also provide for their families,” said Rev. Noel Andersen, National Field Director with Church World Service. “The Asylum Seeker Worker Authorization Act is a concrete solution that benefits all; it would allow asylum seekers to access the work authorization and employment they need and want, and it would help communities by providing more skilled and dedicated employees to local organizations and businesses that are in need.”

“As Catholics, we believe each person has the right to work, and we support initiatives that honor the dignity of migrants and their families by helping them achieve the financial and personal security that their countries lack,” said Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ, President of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. “H.R. 1325 would speed up the process for asylum seekers to obtain work permits and reduce obstacles in maintaining work authorization. It will foster economic security in our communities as well as safer living and working conditions. We urge Congress to pass this bill.”

“Through my work as the Refugee Ministry Coordinator at Christ Church in Alexandria, VA, I have encountered many asylum seekers who are primed and ready to find employment, some with graduate degrees and impeccable resumes but are unable to feed and house their families; not because of their inability to find work, but because of their lack of a work permit,” said Whitney Mallory, Refugee Ministry Coordinator at Christ Church in Alexandria, VA. “The injustice of this scenario is two-fold as it diverts already scarce resources from refugees who don't have marketable jobs or language skills while also robbing the job market of competent candidates who are eager to start contributing to their new communities. Please pass the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act as it is a win/win for both asylum seekers and the communities where they have resettled."