February 12, 2019
The Honorable Tim Kaine
Russell Senate Office Building
231 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mark Warner
703 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators Kaine and Warner,
As clergy leaders within the metropolitan D.C. area and members of Faith in Action- DMV Sanctuary Congregations Network we petition you to provide vital leadership and assistance to Rosa Gutierrez Lopez, a resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia and your constituent, who has recently taken sanctuary at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland.
Our network represents over 60 congregations reaching tens of thousands of constituents within the region who are committed to providing solidarity with immigrant neighbors, friends, and families who fear being detained, deported, or profiled. Although we come from various faith traditions, collectively, we are called by the sacred texts of our faiths which urge us to love our neighbors and to deeply value family unity, and challenge injustice.
We wish to express our deep concern about the potential for Rosa to be separated from her three, U.S. citizen children, and forced to return to danger and instability in her home country of El Salvador. She should not be a priority for deportation. Rosa is the sole caretaker of her children, the youngest of whom has Down Syndrome and a host of other serious health concerns. All of his doctors are here, some of whom have written to elected officials on Rosa’s behalf urging them to allow her to remain in the country for her children’s sake. Rosa is a 13-year resident of Virginia and is a caring and responsible member of our community. Rosa was granted Deferred Action twice by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
We know that there are thousands of immigration cases out there that deserve the same support and attention we are seeking for Rosa, and that no one has enough time to address each one. However, since Rosa has taken public sanctuary and her story has been covered by large media outlets (The Washington Post, NPR, etc.), her case presents an incredible opportunity for you to take a stand in support of immigrant families in Virginia. In a time when our current administration is separating thousands of children from their parents and jailing them as a deterrence to stop immigration, we need our senators from Virginia to reject the bait from a president who makes false claims about violence at the border and demonizes immigrants, regardless of status, at every opportunity.
Will you stand with Rosa and her family? Here is how you can help:
- Work with Rosa’s legal team to file the stay of removal.
- Call the director of ICE in Virginia and speak with her about the case and ask for a stay.
- Meet with Rosa and her children.
- Join a vigil or public action to show support for Rosa.
- Write an OpEd in support of Rosa.
Again, we urge you to employ the greatest abilities of yourselves and your office to protect Rosa from deportation. Her children and her community need her! We sincerely believe that publicly demonstrating your support for Rosa’s freedom will go a long way to create a more unified Virginia.
In Faith,
Rev. Abhi Janamanchi
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Katie Romano Griffin, Minister
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Alexis Kassim
Little River UCC
Rev. Dr. Kate Walker
Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church
Rev. Julio Hernandez, Director of Family Ministries
Christ Crossman UMC
Sister Ann Scholz
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Sister Patricia McDermott, President
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Jean Stokan, Justice Team Coordinator
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Pastor Byron Tyler Coles
Unitarian Universalist
Senior Rabbi Jonathan Roos
Temple Sinai of Washington, DC
Rev. David Miller, Senior Minister
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe
Temple Rodef Shalom
Reverend Cynthia Lapp
Hyattsville Mennonite Church
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman
Temple Rodef Shalom
Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein
Temple Rodef Shalom
Rev. Stephen Price
First Baptist Church of Hyattsville
Rev. Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader
Washington Ethical Society
Pastor Ellen Jennings
Cleveland Park Congregational UCC
Associate Pastor Michelle Burkholdet
Hyattsville Mennonite Church
Rev. Kim McDowell
Church of the Brethren, University Park
Rev. Maria Swearingen
Calvary Baptist Church
Rev. Rachel Christensen, Minister
Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Megan Foley
Central East Region, Unitarian Universalist Association
Sr. Marie Lucey, Associate Director
Franciscan Action Network
Mr. Jason Miller
Franciscan Action Network
Imam Ali Siddiqui
Muslim Institute – Interfaith Studies & Understanding
Sister Patricia Chappell, Executive Director
Pax Christi USA
Scott Wright, Director
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Rev. Julia Jarvis
United Church of Christ Minister
Rev. Dr. Terence Ellen
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Greater Cumberland
Eli McCarthy, Director of Justice and Peace
Conference of Superiors of Men (Catholic) / St. Camillus Parish
Pastor Emeritus Jerrold Foltz
Wellspring United Church of Christ
Rev. Laura Martin
Rock Spring UCC
Senior Pastor Kathryn Nystrand Dwyer
Rock Spring Congregational UCC
Acting Associate Conference Minister Alexander Vishio
Central Atlantic Conference – United Church of Christ
Pastor Sherri Wood-Powe
UMC
Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Director
Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Barbara Gerlach
First Congregational United Church of Christ – DC
Rev. Chaim Rodriguez
Iglesia Cristiana Nacional (Discípulos de Cristo)
Rev. Dr. J. Michael McMahon
National City Christian Church
Dr. Robert W. Perry
North Chevy Chase Christian Church
Minister Norman Allen
Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Nathan Hill
University Christian Church
Regional Minister Allen V. Harris
Christian Church Capital Area / Shepherd Park Christian Church
The Reverend Charlotte Lehmann
Bull Run Unitarian Universalist
Rabbi Dr. Charles L Arian
Rev. Lyn Cox, Interim Minister
Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring
Rev. Dr. Woodrow Rea, Senior Minister
The Inter-Faith Chapel
Rev. Robert Hardies
All Souls Church
Seminarian Peter Schmitt
All Saints Episcopal/Frederick
Linda Miller
All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Frederick, MD
Rev. Betsy Hague
St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church
Mary E. Hunt
Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)
Merikay Smith, Interfaith Outreach
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kentlands Ward
Pastor Valerie Showalter
Shalom Mennonite Congregation
Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner, Minister
Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston
The Rev. Stuart E. Schadt, Rector
Trinity Episcopal Church, Manassas, Va
Rev. M. Logan
Brethren, Cross Keys
Rev. Sarabeth Goodwin
Episcopal Diocese of Washington / St. Mary Magdalene
Rabbi Gerald Serotta
Rabbi Charles Feinberg
Interfaith Action for Human Rights
Rabbi Deborah B Cohen
Beth Chai
The Rev. Linda M Kaufman
St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church
Reverend Grace Cangialosi
Grace Church, Stanardsville, VA
The Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles
Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church, Burke, VA
Rev. Charles Booker
Bethesda Presbyterian Church
Minister Alexa Fraser
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Sterling
Rabbi Gilah Langner
Kol Ami: the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Jewish Community
Rev. Rebekah A. Savage
UU Congregation of Rockville, MD
Ellen Nelson
St Augustine
Jeffrey E Rhodes, Member
Wellspring UCC
Co-director Diann L Neu
WATER
Rabbi Aaron Potek
Rev. Dr. Leah Grundset Davis
Ravensworth Baptist Church, Annandale, Va.
Rev. Dr. Eliezer Valentin-Castanon, Senior Pastor
Trinity UMC
Sandra Ovalle, Immigration Campaign Coordinator
Sojourners
Rabbi Lia Bass
Congregation Etz Hayim
Rabbi Emerita Rosalind A. Gold
Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation
Rev. Giovanni Arroyo
UMC
Rabbi Rain
Jewish Renewal
Rev. Heather Olson
Lisbon UMC
Rabbi Shira Stutman
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
Pastoral Associate /Priest Nancy Steakley Hildebrand
Church of the Ascension, Gaithersburg, MD
Rev Michele Hagans
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
The Reverend Ann Moczydlowski
Transfiguration Parish (Episcopal), Silver Spring
Rev. Dr. Peter Antoci
Episcopal Church
Rabbi Hannah Goldstein
Temple Sinai
Pastor Beth OMalley
Columbia United Christian Church
Reverend Otto H. Hentz, SJ
Jesuit Community, Georgetown University
Rabbi Derek Rosenbaum, Teacher
Charles E Smith Jewish Day School
Rev. Dr. Cheryl L. Tatham
North Chevy Chase Christian Church
Pastor Rev. Jennifer Wilder
Broadview Community United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Christopher L. Zacharias
John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. Frederick A. Wenner, Pastor Emeritus
Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, Frederick, Maryland
Father Jacek Orzechowski
Roman Catholic/ Franciscans
Minister of Pastoral Care Rebecca Parker
All Souls Church, Unitarian, Washington DC
Rev. David Hollenbach
Georgetown University / Holy Trinity Church
Rev. Mark Granfors-Hunt
Wellspring United Church of Christ
Dr. Anthony Hunt, Senior Pastor
Epworth Chapel, Baltimore
Assistant Rector Scott Lipscomb
St. Mark’s, Capitol Hill
Dr. Pippin Whitaker, Ministerial Intern
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
Rev. Charlene Belsom Zellmer
DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network
Terri Murphy, Director of Christian Formation
Ascension Episcopal Church, Silver Spring, MD
Pastor Philip Curran
Columbia United Christian Church
Reverend Cynthia G Mason
Columbia United Christian Church
Ms Carmen Catrera
All Souls Unitarian Universalist
Reverend Yolanda Pupo-Ortiz
Epworth United Methodist Church
The Reverend Peter Jarrett-Schel
Calvary Episcopal Church
Ms Joey Hoffman, CS, Practitioner and Healer
Christian Science Society of Frederick, MD
The Rev. Emily Guthrie
Christ Church Parish Kensington
Rev. Julie Wilson
United Methodist Church
The Rev. Alex Dyer, Priest in Charge
St. Thomas Parish, Dupont Circle
Rev. Ben Roberts
Foundry UMC
Louisa Potts, Teacher
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
Dr. Kathleen Kenney
St. Anne’s Catholic Church
Rev. Ken Brooker-Langston
Michigan Park Christian Church
Rev. Steven Baines
National City Christian Church
Bro. Brian McLauchlin
Divine Word Missionaries
Rabbi Rami Schwartzer, Community Outreach Rabbi, Arlington
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Rev. Karen Mann
Sojourners UCC
The Rev Susan K Walker
St Stephen and the Incarnation
Rev. Dr. Susan A Minasian
Sojourners United Church of Christ
The Rev. Richard Mosson Weinberg, Associate Rector
St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, DC
Rev. Amanda Beresford
Sojourners, UCC
Reverend Iris M. Osorio
Iglesia del Nazareno, Fredericksburg
Reverend Walter R. Cruz
Iglesia del Nazareno, Fredericksburg
Sr. Aine O’Connor, Councilor, Institute Leadership Team
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart
Calvary Episcopal Church
Reverend Scott Hirano, Chaplain
Innovage PACE Blue Ridge
Rabbi Esther Lederman
Temple Micah
Reverend Laura Divers
United Church of Christ
Rev. Seth Wispelwey, Directing Minister
Restoration Village Arts/United Church of Christ
(Congregation and Institution names are for identification purposes only)
