ICCR Statement on Immigration

In response to the anti-immigrant policies of the U.S. administration, the killing of civilians by federal agents and the increasing rollback of constitutional rights, ICCR issued the following statement:

The recent violence we have seen in Minnesota, Maine, California, Illinois and elsewhere in our country shocks the conscience. Deeply rooted constitutional protections and values including the rights to protest and freely express our beliefs, due process and our understanding of ourselves as a proud nation of immigrants have been under attack, as exemplified by masked federal agents aggressively deployed in cities and around the country.

At the same time the courage, integrity and solidarity shown by communities, faith leaders and local businesses in these places has been profoundly inspiring.  As faith- and values-based investors, we believe the business community, including investors, has a moral and business imperative to use its public platforms to call on the federal government to end these excessively aggressive policies. This is a time for many in the business community in particular to set aside a more passive posture and to use their influence to help our country chart a better course.

We call on investors to engage portfolio companies on the potential operational, financial and reputational risks stemming from involvement with current immigration policies and enforcement actions by the federal administration.

We call on our portfolio companies to adopt policies, systems and processes that publicly and clearly advocate for and ensure the rights of immigrant workers in their own operations and supply chains. We also call on them to use their voices and influence across the country to call for an end to the administration’s aggressive policies.

And we reiterate our calls for Congress to ensure that the human rights of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, and that the rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution of due process for all be upheld. We repeat our longstanding calls for Congress to do its job and pass comprehensive and humane immigration reform.

These aggressive deployments of federal agents are a moral outrage that threaten lives, democracy and the economy. The federal administration’s approach is inhumane and, in many cases, has been in clear violation of the law. That approach is also self-defeating for the economy, with reports of small business corridors across the country seeing business plummet and nationwide economic growth shrinking as a direct result of ICE’s overreach. Further, employees are calling on their companies to not be complicit, and recent polling indicate the American public is disgusted and fatigued by that overreach and demands the administration change course.

At ICCR, we will continue to work with our members to make this case to business leaders and policymakers across the country. We know that a more sensible and humane approach to immigration policy and a more durable and sustainably prosperous economy are twin goals, inextricably bound together.

ICCR is proud and honored to represent a wide range of diverse faith communities. Across that range, we are unequivocally and invariably called to welcome our sisters and brothers with love and compassion, regardless of their place of birth, religion or race.