BRATTLEBORO — St. Michael’s Episcopal Church is inviting all parishioners, faith communities, and the public to the educational event, What to do if ICE comes to church? This presentation and a Question and Answer by the Vermont chapter of the ACLU is Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the church’s undercroft.
Recently, the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont wrote to all its churches declaring that as a “Sanctuary” diocese, which welcomes and supports refugees and immigrants, we should educate ourselves and take steps to be ready for what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) come to our church. Even if it is unlikely that ICE will target churches where refugees and vulnerable immigrants are not visibly present, given the general climate in the country, church leaders say they want to be prepared.
“We also want to know our rights and understand the legal strategies available to us, if and when this administration begins to target other vulnerable populations,” the church said in a news release. “We owe it to our congregations, for all attendees to feel welcome and safe in our church, regardless of immigration status, race, gender identity, religion, and sexual orientation. And we want to be prepared to protect the sacredness of our worship space at all times and from all possible threats.”
ACLU Senior Staff attorney, Hillary Rich, will present and discuss how to prepare congregations for an encounter with ICE. A Question-and-Answer period will follow. Questions will be collected at the start of the event to ensure that as many as possible are addressed.
Admission is free; pre-registration is not necessary. Light refreshments will be served during a short break. Donations to ACLU are welcome. For more information contact: Judy Davidson, [email protected].
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.reformer.com ’
