Protecting the Strangers We Welcome In

Dear Northminster, 
​
At the beginning of the year, one of our members the Session with a proposal to put notices at all of our entrances that we would not allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers into our building without a signed judicial warrant. This proposal was based on a reflection and advice given by Presbytery of Detroit Stated Clerk Melissa Allison which you can read here. In this letter, she askes:

1. How will your church respond if an individual is seeking safety in your church building?
2. What do we do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seek entry into our church (or are seen in our parking lot/on church property)?

I know that this is a hot-button issues at the moment, one where opinions are strong at opposing viewpoints are not likely to listen to the other side. I do not wish to start a political debate, but I do feel that it is our responsibility to take ownership over the safety of our community, specifically the communities that rely on our facility. Here is the reality that we as a congregation have to take into consideration:

1. The Northminster building currently houses five different organizations; Northminster Presbyterian Church, the Congregational Church of Birmingham, The Discovery Corner, Troy People Concerned, and Baby Basics.
2. While we may have an understanding of the citizenship status of our congregation, we do not have that knowledge of the other four organizations or the clientele of The Discovery Corner, Troy People Concerned, and Baby Basics.
3. The Discovery Corner, Troy People Concerned, and Baby Basics all serve diverse populations, including recent immigrants. We have seen reports that non-white immigrant populations and communities that fit the stereotype of a recent immigrant be targets of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
4. We set the policies for the builds and grounds of Northminster. All other organizations are subject to the decision that we make as a congregation.
5. We are congregation that has signed the Matthew 25 covenant agreement. The Matthew 25 Bible verse describes a scene where the people who will be celebrated in the kingdom of God are those that served Jesus in their life: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me […] just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:35, 40). The Matthew 25 agreement commits us to dismantling structural racism.
6. All of Michigan is within the 100 mile boarder zone. The federal government claims the power to conduct certain kinds of warrantless stops within 100 miles of the U.S. border. (Link to learn more)

The Session took the proposal to put signs on the doors seriously but also wanted to understand a fuller pictures of the dynamic of our area before putting signage at our entrances. They had many questions that I could not answer myself. Therefore, I reached out to Troy Police Officer Greg Pokley who has helped us in the past when we were being harassed by neighbors over our Pride flags. After explaining some of the dynamics I mentioned above, I asked him the following questions:

1. Is that signage meaningful to ICE officers or effective?
2. What are our rights to refuse entry to officers, or those claiming to be officers, without a signed judicial warrant?
3. Would various parts of the church building be treated differently? As we understand, the parking lot, hallways, and sanctuary are considered "public space." Is there a different procedure for officers entering the preschool, an independently run organization?
4. Does the Troy Police have a 287(g) agreement with ICE?
5. How are the Troy Police handling calls about ICE Enforcement?

Officer Pokley recently got back with me with the following response:
“This is great information to have.  A lot of this is out of my purview but I will send this information to our City Attorney’s office and they should be able to give you and I a better understanding of the do’s and don’ts.  Give me some time to get the information back from them.
Regards, Greg”

When I get a fuller response, I will forward it to the Session first for more discussion. Then we will let the congregation know how we are choosing to move forward.

Blessings,
Pastor Chris