A group of about 15 Christian leaders and activists were arrested for a peaceful protest in support of the Dream Act on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
The group was calling for Congress to pass a “clean” version of the Dream Act before year’s end to protect the thousands of Dreamers—young, undocumented people who were brought into the country as children—as part of a bigger campaign of interfaith leaders in support of the legislation.
@jimwallis and other faith leaders called for passage of the #DreamAct earlier today outside of the US Capitol Building. pic.twitter.com/PaavjNSlYy
— Sam Smith (@IamSamSmith) November 1, 2017
According to Christian Post:
[lborder]Among those who were detained and arrested were Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, director of refugee and immigration ministries for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Lori Tapia, national pastor for the Disciples of Christ’s Hispanic Ministries; Rev. Kate Shaner, the minister of mission at First Community Church in Columbus, Ohio; Taylor Burgoyne from the Evangelical Covenant Church in Tucson, Arizona; Reuben Eckels, a pastor affiliated with Church World Service; and Sierra Dawn Salgado Pirigyi from Urban Abbey United Methodist Church in Bacon, Nebraska.
[/lborder]Stanley-Rea released a statement about her arrest, saying:
[lborder]I am inspired by my faith that, when we dare to take risks for justice, we help create a path of fresh hope, step by step. I am committed to doing all that I can to support the passage of a clean Dream Act. … And, in honor of families facing separation far too often through detention and deportation, I submit to arrest today with the prayer that I can honor my own father, who died three decades ago on All Saints Day.
[/lborder]Reverend Sharon Stanley Rea on why she is being arrested by US Capitol Police. She’s standing with #Dreamers on All Saints Day. #Faith4Dream pic.twitter.com/xcq3mDic2m
— CWS (@CWS_global) November 1, 2017