Leaders and worshippers from Tulsa’s various faith communities gathered Tuesday night at All Souls Unitarian Church for a vigil in support of immigrants amid fears over the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
The interfaith vigil, organized by Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, included songs and calls to fundraise.
“Our most critical area of need, both for immigrant peoples themselves and in a stand against draconian actions from the government, is to fund legal action,” said Rev. Chris Moore of Fellowship Congregational Church.
Faith leaders asked attendees to donate to El Centro, a community center in Tulsa that helps migrants with legal representation.
Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, senior minister at All Souls, said bringing religious leaders together sends a clear message to local immigrant communities.
“We want them to know we see them, we support them,” he said. “Right now, it’s a difficult time in America to be an immigrant. People are being racially profiled. People are being deported, put in jail.”
Faith leaders across the country have been outspoken about President Donald Trump’s policies.
The White House recently implemented a fast-track refugee process for white South Africans, known as Afrikaners, to come to the U.S. The administration claims the Afrikaners are being targeted.
In response, the Episcopal Church ended a refugee resettlement partnership with the federal government running for more than four decades. The church said the White House’s move was highly unusual and discriminatory.
Rev. Lavanhar agreed.
“There’s so many refugees in Africa, war-torn areas, folks who’ve been living in refugee camps for years, looking for an opportunity to the United States,” he said. “All of a sudden, there’s this preferential treatment for Afrikaners from South Africa.”
You can watch the vigil via All Souls Unitarian Church’s Facebook page here:
