B Stands for Bold Faith
As discouraging and challenging immigration updates continue to flood the news cycle, today, we want to look toward an encouraging example of how evangelical women are engaging in immigration issues putting their faith over politics.
At the National Immigration Forum, while we bring people together to advocate for compassionate bipartisan legislation, we also work to create culture-change by focusing on stories about immigrants who are being welcomed and the communities that are striving to welcome.
Women of Welcome is a group
that educates, encourages, and equips conservative evangelical women to have conversations around immigration and engage the topic with compassion, based on their Christian beliefs. As part of their work, Women of Welcome hosts trips to the U.S.-Mexico border in partnership with
local organizations and community leaders so women can learn through proximity. Participating groups learn about current immigration issues, the history of the borderlands, and on-going
enforcement along the border. They also interact with organizations and leaders serving immigrants
on both the U.S. and Mexico side of the border fence.
In December, a group of women made up of local church and community leaders from across the country participated in one of these trips to the border between San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico. CBS News followed along to cover the
trip and learn about what motivated these women.
The participants on the Women of Welcome border trip praying next to the border fence in San Diego (Source: CBS News)
In the interview, Bri Stensrud, Director of Women of Welcome, talked about how she is driven to this work by her
faith, which is clear about God’ heart for the immigrant: "I know it's the right thing to do. I know what Scripture says. My faith is more important than any political party." The women on this trip boldly put their faith into practice to learn and chose proximity with the issue, which for many may cause tension or breaks with their own communities who hold different views.
This group is only a percentage of evangelicals who want to welcome immigrants and who are motivated by their faith to call for immigration solutions that respect human dignity and are compassionate, contrary to what we may hear in the media.
In the midst of disheartening news and harmful rhetoric, I am encouraged by groups like Women of Welcome who are invested in learning and boldly stand up for
their immigrant neighbors. I encourage you to follow this example and join us in continuing to advocate for better bipartisan immigration legislation.
Stay committed and hopeful,
Allison Bassett
Field and Constituencies
Manager
National Immigration Forum
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