Statement on the activation of Illinois National Guard troops by President
Photo: Gerald Farinas.
Friends and neighbors:
Edgewater Presbyterian Church grieves and condemns the escalating violence taking place in our city under the guise of law enforcement.
The order by President Donald Trump to deploy 300 Illinois National Guard troops to patrol Chicago in support of ongoing ICE raids marks a dangerous and shameful chapter in our nation’s story.
In recent days, we have witnessed disturbing acts by ICE agents—smoke bombs thrown into a street where children were playing, the aggressive detention of Ald. Jessie Fuentes, and the ransacking of apartments in the middle of the night that led to the violent detention of U.S. citizens, some dragged from their homes unclothed at 2 a.m. These are not actions that reflect safety or justice. These are the tactics of intimidation and fear.
As a Church of Jesus Christ, we cannot stay silent. Our faith commands us to see every person as a child of God—beloved, dignified, and worthy of safety. We stand with our immigrant and refugee neighbors, with those targeted because of where they were born, the color of their skin, or the language they speak.
We call upon all branches of government to cease the militarization of our city and the persecution of immigrant families. We urge Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and all public servants who value democracy and human rights to resist the federalization order and protect our city’s residents from further harm.
To our siblings in Christ and all people of goodwill: this is a time for courage, prayer, and action.
As Scripture reminds us, “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt” (Exodus 23:9, NRSVue).
We will continue to offer sanctuary, hospitality, and love in defiance of hate.
In faith and solidarity,
Eld. Gerald Farinas
Clerk of Session
Edgewater Presbyterian Church
