Feb 1, 2017

Greater Miami Jewish Federation Statement on Current Immigration Policy

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, together with its Jewish Community Relations Council and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, expresses great concern over the current and potential impact of the Executive Order on immigration, signed by President Trump on January 27, 2017.

We are very respectful of this administration’s and every administration’s authority and responsibility to secure our nation’s borders and to protect the safety and security of its citizens. Those objectives are legitimate and paramount. At the same time, however, we strongly believe that this can and must be accomplished without abandoning the historic commitment shared by the Jewish community and all Americans to welcoming immigrants and treating refugees with compassion. In fact, based on our core mission, Federation and its agencies have a decades-long history of supporting and overseeing the resettlement of both Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants in our community, just as we have steadfastly been strong advocates for the rights of immigrants and refugees in our midst.

As Jews, we are informed on this issue by our personal history as immigrants; we are guided by Torah-based mandates to welcome the stranger and care for the weak; and we are motivated by the unified leadership of each of the national Jewish denominations – Conservative, Reform and Orthodox – who have expressed concern over this action that defines policy for individuals based upon their religion.

It is our hope that this Executive Order and, indeed, all U.S. immigration policy will be reviewed and reformed, but in a manner that remains true to the values of diversity, liberty and religious tolerance deeply rooted and centrally regarded in both Jewish tradition and the American experience as a whole.