FAITH leaders in Los Angeles pledged to be “peaceful witnesses” at an interfaith prayer vigil on Tuesday night, as mass protests over immigration raids and the deployment of federal troops continue.
The event was led by the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, who has opposed the involvement of troops. The Episcopalian Bishop of Los Angeles, the Rt Revd John H Taylor, said in his closing prayer: “Multicultural, polylingual, pluralistic — Los Angeles is America the beautiful. The most American city of them all, and by your grace, it will not fall.
“We pledge to be peaceful witnesses. We can resist unjust authority without lifting a hand against our neighbor. Some people have a problem with LA. Forty states have smaller populations than Los Angeles County. That’s pretty scary to some people, God — you know that. We know how people act when they’re scared. And we your faithful servants know how we’re supposed to act in these scary times.”
He pledged to “tell the story of our neighbors who are undocumented workers — our friends being taken from their places of honest labor, ripped from the arms of their families and churches. Thirteen million of them nationwide, paying their taxes, caring for those they love, part of the foundation of the United States economy.”
At least 14 members of Episcopolian congregatins have been arrested in the raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Dozens of migrants have been detained, though exact numbers have not been released. US Homeland Security says that 2000 immigration offenders have been arrested per day recently, Reuters reports — far above the 311 daily average last year, when President Joe Biden was in power.
A ten-hour curfew was declared from 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening. The LA police department reported on Wednesday that it had made “mass arrests” as a result of the curfew.
President Trump has ordered more than 4000 National Guard troops and Marines into the city despite the objections of the Republican governor, Gavin Newsom, and Mayor Bass, who has said that the deployment was “an experiment to instil fear”.
The President returned to the White House this year after election pledges to tackle immigration issues and what Bishop Taylor has described as “a busted immigration system that politicians just won’t fix”.
President Trump defended his decision to intervene in a speech to troops at a North Carolina army base on Tuesday. “Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness.”
He insisted that LA would be “burning to the ground” if he had not sent in troops. Police have been firing foam-rubber bullets to control demonstrations. Several national and international news reporters have been hit by bullets.
Governor Newsom warned that the Trump administration was “pulling a military dragnet” across LA and that democracy “is under assault before our eyes”. He said on Tuesday night: “If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe. Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.”
As the war of words escalated between Governor Newsom and the Trump administration, Christians were urged by Sacred Resistance, the social-action arm of the Episcopal diocese of Los Angeles, to support peaceful demonstrations.
A letter urged supporters: “Now is the time when our call to Sacred Resistance becomes clear and necessary. We stand on the side of the loving and liberating Jesus who calls us to be justice-seekers and peacemakers in the face of state violence and oppression.” It also asked for donations to support legal representation for those who had been arrested.
“The church members detained, as far as we know, have been quickly transferred to various detention centers in Southern California. While we gather more details about their whereabouts and condition, we are in desperate need of funds to ensure that we can secure rapid and adequate legal representation for all impacted.”
In an earlier post on Facebook, Bishop Taylor warned: “It now appears no undocumented immigrant worker is safe on our streets.”
Since President Trump’s first term, LA diocese, a sanctuary diocese, has committed to resisting mass deportation and supporting migrants. The city of LA also voted last year to become a “Sanctuary city”, meaning that city resources and staff would not help federal immigration enforcement.
Mass protests have spread to cities across the US. Vigils in support of those opposing the immigration raids were held in California, including Oakland, where hundreds gathered for prayer.
The six Episcopalian bishops of California issued a letter expressing their concern over the ensuing violence and called for urgent prayer. “In all six of our dioceses, people are concerned and fearful about the denial of due process for those detained and the potential for ICE raids targeting beloved community institutions and people working to support their families.
“In the Episcopal Church, we uphold a proud tradition of advocating for civil rights and supporting the vulnerable in our society. We stand for fierce love and for justice that leads to peace, as well as societal practices that preserve human dignity. With God’s help, we will speak and pray on behalf of all in this situation.”
A 90-year-old Roman Catholic priest from Co. Longford, Ireland, told the RTÉ channel that he had attended a protest wearing his collar as a sign of support. “With the Irish experience of being discriminated against for so many years, and knowing the discrimination here in this country against the Irish, I felt there was something personal,” Fr Peter O’Reilly said.
“They are hard working, family-oriented people that we need to stand with and to let them know we are with them and for them.”