Local Women's Inter-Faith Group Responds To Immigration Ban

Photo courtesy of CNN

On Monday, Jan. 30, President Trump signed an executive action calling for the halt of immigration from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

The ban was one of the staples of Trump’s campaign, and Monday he followed through.
Like many things said during the election cycle, it caused division across the country. Those in favor cited safety and vetting concerns, and those opposed talked of inhumanity to deny entry into the United States. After the order had been signed, a local women’s interfaith group wanted to show their opposition to the President’s action. 
The group of over 30 women consists of immigrants, first generation Americans and some who have lived in Oxford their whole lives. 
“We are a nation of immigrants, and this is against our Constitution and our core values as a country,” co-founder Gail Stratton said. “Freedom of the press and freedom of religion are so important; those are things that made this country great. It’s not freedom of religion if one group is being targeted.” 
The group doesn’t see themselves as political, but when this order was signed, they felt it went far beyond the political spectrum. 
“This is not a political issue; it’s a humanitarian issue. Immigration is historically a political policy,” co-founder Kate Roos said. “We have progressed in our thinking; so you would think at this point, we would be mature enough to apply more generous and more loving principals to immigration. So this feels like a huge step back for this country.” 
For group member Nelly Shafik, the rhetoric in the election cycle has been personally hurtful. 
“It was sad being a Muslim during the campaign, hearing that Muslims should be banned. I was so happy when my husband moved here in 2007, but with all of this going on, it’s sad,” Shafik said. “I didn’t understand all of the fear, and it hurt to hear people on TV say watch out for your Muslim neighbors, and if you are suspicious, report it to the police.” 
The interfaith group doesn’t want to silence those who disagree with them; they urge people to come together to talk about their differences in the hope that it will provide clarity. 
“Let’s sit down and talk with one another. I want to hear your fears and concerns. I want to share my ideas and take a look at the facts and put our fears in context and see where we can find common ground,” Roos said. “I believe that common ground exists. Even in our own group, we are very different; but, we have found common ground over major social justice issues, even when we disagree on certain things.
“It doesn’t help just to be opposed to things. I think we should be positive and proactive about what we would like to see in terms of immigration policy,” Roos added. 
Keeping that line of thought, the group will be heading to Tupelo to meet with Senator Wicker’s aid to discuss their opinions on the immigration ban. The group will also hold a Town Hall meeting at College Hill Community Center tonight at 6 p.m. The group knows that not everyone will voice their opinion, but they want to connect with as many people as they can. 
“Humans matter, and I can’t stand to stay silent any longer,” Roos said. “People are very sympathetic. They may not be the people who will march or write the letters, but they realize the impact of this and are instantly sympathetic.” 

For questions or comments, email Hottytoddynews@gmail.com. 
Follow HottyToddy.com on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…