Interfaith forum in New Britain: Don’t punish undocumented immigrants

NEW BRITAIN — No matter how major religions vary, they agree that strangers — including undocumented immigrants — should be treated with kindness, speakers at a New Britain interfaith forum concluded Monday night.

Speakers from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths addressed an audience of about 50 at the First Lutheran Church. They all said their religions call on followers not to shun immigrants, even those without current visas.

“Why does the Hebrew bible repeat the admonition to protect the ‘ger’ — the stranger? All of us at one point in our histories had experience with being the other, the ‘ger,’ ” said Deena Grant, associate professor of Jewish studies at the Hartford seminary.

“It is God’s final assessment that we’re told we will be judged according to how we respond to the hungry, the thirsty, the prisoner and, yes, the stranger,” said Laura Westby, transition minister at the Kensington Congregational Church.

Islam takes a similar view, said Tark Richard Aouadi, executive director of Connecticut’s branch of the Council of American-Islamic Relations.

“Some of the best people in the Quran were immigrants. The Quran says the travelers are the ones to be welcomed, the strangers are the ones to be given solace in your home,” Aouadi said. “We welcome the travelers, we welcome the foreigners. The Quran says blessed be the strangers.”

The session included no speakers advocating for restrictive immigration law. Westby briefly alluded to Christians with those views, but said it’s important to oppose such policy. Some Christians have become too tied to “white Christian privilege,” she said.

Immigration attorney Dana Bucin, a partner at Murtha Cullina LLP, said there are too many myths surrounding the issue. Many people believe undocumented immigrants should simply get citizenship, and complain that they’re bleeding the welfare system while they’re here illegally. But getting citizenship is costly and enormously difficult, she said, and there’s simply no evidence of undocumented immigrants getting welfare or government benefits.

“I’ve been practicing immigration law for 15 years. If you can show me a program where undocumented immigrants can get benefits, I’ll be very surprised,” Bucin said.