My teammate and I prepared an adult Bible study for the following day at the kitchen table. After some discussion, we settled on Acts 2: 1-13 where the Holy Spirit came down on a group of followers gathered to worship in what will become known as Pentecost. The story of Pentecost is dear to me for many reasons; I announced the pregnancy of both my children on this special Sunday, it normally falls on or around my birthday, and frankly, I think the Holy Spirit is not given enough credit, so I appreciate the stories that feature Her!

Let me first admit that I hate that I don’t have all the answers to share with you about the people that we are interacting with and about these families who have been staying here with us. I work as a Chaplain at a major hospital, so I hear many stories all the time. I like to think that my strength is listening. But here, limited by my language skills, I have so many unanswered questions. I’ve learned to adapt and rely on other life skills and the Spirit to get me through. I’m here to see and each day, I pick up on something new about the system, the effects of the law on the people, the inner workings (and difficulties) of this work of ongoing care for the people who migrate through here, and the mini connections with these families from various countries, and the people in this church and ministry who support them.

No word is more offensive in the U.S. immigration debate than "illegal." It can refer to someone undocumented or without legal authorization. However, this term is often used more broadly, even encompassing asylum seekers and legal permanent residents—those authorized to be in the country. It is frequently used as a slur against anyone crossing the border or any foreign born who is Brown or Black, regardless of their manner of entry.

This is a re-publication of the letter that Pastor Ryon Price sent to the congregation of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, during his trip with Fellowship Southwest to the border.

You are probably reading and hearing about the unrest in Haiti over the past couple of weeks. We've wondered how this will impact migration flows and the pending immigration of Haitians who have been waiting to seek asylum in the U.S. for many months already. It looks as if we aren't the only ones wondering. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has decided to act preemptively to shield Floridians from what he sees as a threat: Haitian refugees. We are disappointed that once again, our leaders are choosing to criminalize immigrants rather than respond with humanitarian compassion.

I’ve written before about the wide gulf between what I hear, see, and experience at the border and the tenor of our political debate. Never has the contrast been as stark as what I experienced last week.

Stephen Reeves and I spent last week in Cd. Juarez, Mexico, for a four-day ecumenical conference on human mobility by “Como Nacido Entre Nosotros ( or CNEN)” (as one born among you). CNEN is a regional network driven by churches and Christian organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean that seeks to join existing efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Christian community to care for, protect, and promote the rights of migrants.

Earlier this week, a bipartisan Senate border proposal surfaced and then failed, after being negotiated for three months. But we want to tell you about it anyway. 

First, the current state of our border is unsustainable. No one thinks that waves of asylum seekers making a dangerous trek to our border is the best scenario for anyone. We need a secure border, but we also need a humane border. 

As the border deal fails to secure enough votes in Congress, attention has pivoted to push for the passage of H.R.2, the Secure the Border Act. However, a closer examination of the bill reveals alarming provisions that pose significant risks to the well-being and rights of migrant children –those they claim to protect.

Here's a breakdown of what is included in H.R.2:

Migrants from Latin and South America are frequently the victims of exploitation and extortion in their home countries or along their journeys north. Unfortunately it doesn’t get much better for some once they get here. Instead of cartels, they face unjust corporations. Nowhere is there a better microcosm of multifaceted immigrant exploitation than in Colony Ridge.

In nearly every moment of the Christmas story, characters heed promptings from angels. An angel announces to Mary she is chosen to be the mother of God, and she accepts. An angel encourages Joseph to support Mary in this calling, and he does. The magi return home from Bethlehem by another road, and the new family flees to another country in order to protect their child, all thanks to divine messengers.

Ministry to migrants looks like many things one would not predict. Most people assume it includes providing meals, clothing and shelter. Emotional and spiritual attention is just as important in FSW migrant ministries, too. But caring for the whole person, the whole family, also involves commemorating special celebrations like birthdays for children.

It was a normal Monday night in a middle class neighborhood full of busy families driving kids to and fro activities, cooking dinner and doing homework. A fellow mom, Nancy, texted 22 of our neighbors, including me, with this:

Linda and I traveled to West Brownsville as an advance team for our church, Iglesia Bill Harrod, located in West Dallas. Anyra Cano, director of Programs and Outreach for Fellowship Southwest (FSW), inspired our trip. We carried donations from what one might euphemistically characterize as an economically challenged church in an economically challenged West Dallas to Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville, a neighborhood and church with challenges on a whole different level.

Calling all Texans! The Senate is getting to pass two terrible immigration bills that would encourage racial profiling and create a lot of fear and chaos.

The conversation in Austin seems so very far from the realities of those making their way to our southern border.

Last week, as elected officials at the Capitol were debating further militarizing the border and passing punitive policies hoping to deter migrants, Fellowship Southwest was coordinating teams of volunteers to offer those same neighbors a warm welcome, and to work alongside our partners who do so every day.

Today, 39 national and local organizations launched a new campaign to #LetAsylumSeekersWork faster. The effort comes at a time of historic national labor shortages. People seeking asylum in the United States are eager to support themselves and join the labor force yet are currently required to wait up to six months or more to access work permits. Groups behind the effort are calling for urgent congressional action to reduce the amount of time asylum seekers must wait before being eligible to apply for work permits. 

Take action now!

We are at a critical juncture where our faith and values call us to stand up for justice and compassion. We invite you to join us in a vital advocacy effort alongside various faith-based organizations and religious leaders. Together, we aim to address the injustices perpetuated under Operation Lone Star in Texas.

Our Christian faith calls us to stand alongside our immigrant neighbors, particularly Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, known as 'Dreamers.' These young individuals were brought to the U.S. as children and enrolled in the DACA program, which provides protection from deportation and allows them to work. However, our commitment to solidarity is now urgently needed as recent developments have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the lives of nearly 600,000 Dreamers, who have known no other home than the United States.