CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The number of refugees admitted to the United States should be increased to at least 90,000 in 2003, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in a May 7 letter to President George W. Bush. Hanson's letter noted what he called "a steady decline in our nation's commitment to refugees over the last decade."
The ELCA Church Council, at its April 5-7 meeting, urged ELCA members to advocate for just immigration and refugee settlement policies, and asked Hanson to write to Bush to express the church's concern for refugees.
"This concern grows out of over 60 years of experience in the organized resettling of refugees by the Lutheran church in the United States and our concern for the treatment of refugees following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11," Hanson wrote.
In 1992 there were 142,000 refugees authorized for resettlement in the United States, Hanson said. In 2001 the number authorized for resettlement was about half, he said.
"While your presidential determination of Nov. 21, 2001, authorized the admission of 70,000 refugees this year, only approximately 11,000 have been admitted so far, and the fiscal year is already more than half over," Hanson said.
In his plea to increase the number to 90,000 in 2003, Hanson said it will require amending the budget request for Migration and Refugee Assistance. Funds from this account support resettlement and provide "life-saving assistance" to million of refugees overseas who will never be resettled, Hanson said.
In addition, Hanson asked Bush to support proposed legislation to improve the situation for refugees who are unaccompanied children.
"Presently, unaccompanied children are caught up in a system that often jails them as delinquents even though they may have committed no crime, and it seems determined to deport them even though there may be legal grounds for them to remain," Hanson said. "No child should have to navigate this system alone."
The ELCA is prepared to carry out its responsibility toward refugees and has demonstrated that through its partner organization, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), Hanson said. LIRS is a joint ministry of the ELCA, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Lutheran churches in the United States established LIRS to carry out their ministry with immigrants and refugees around the world.
"We call upon our government not to shoulder the entire burden but to do its part and be our partner in acts of compassion, with concern for the human rights of refugees," Hanson's letter concluded.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
