I have written about Title 42 before. The law enacted in 2020 to greatly restrict the movement of asylum seeking people into the US. As someone who believes that welcoming and caring for others is what we are called to do as people, I very quickly made Title 42 an enemy. What I have realized recently however, is that Title 42 was never the problem.
These pictures were taken the same day. Ironically, a picture of me waiting because there is nothing to do, and an account of record high numbers. We ended up getting over 600 people in total that day, with the first arrivals not coming until after 1pm!
Anger is an emotion that is quick to consume me. I was talking to my dear friend Allison about this recently. We were noting how anger is talked about. In English, when anger is in relation to something it is "at." I am angry at our immigration policies. In Spanish "with" is used. I am angry with our immigration policies. In Arabic it is "from." I am angry from our immigration policies. (What is it in other languages?) But in at least these three languages, there is a relationship. This is the consuming part of anger for me. When something makes me angry, I am linked to it. I cannot let it go, not until I have done something to change the situation or time has faded the relationship.
When as a Casa Alitas staff we started talking this week about the changes that would need to take place in the wake of Title 42 being lifted, I felt anger rising up in me. What though am I angry at? The law that I disliked is going away, isn't that time for celebration? More people will be able to find refuge in the US, isn't this a good thing?
However, as an organization we do not have the capacity to assist 1200 individual people per day. Each carrying with them a story. Each individual and family with a unique situation. Casa Alitas is going to have to drastically shift its functioning to accommodate. We will not be able to offer as many services, really reducing to the bare minimum of food and shelter.
I am angry because the lifting of Title 42 is exposing the brokenness of our immigration system. A system which separates families, strips travelers of their belongings and humanity. Enacting violence and leaving organizations like Casa Alitas to clean up the mess.
I had a conversation once with a friend about what the role of the government should be. He said that it was the role of the church to distribute aid and the government should not be doing much at all. This conversation came to mind as I considered the tangled interaction of church and state in Tucson. Border Patrol (nationally funded) working every day to dehumanize migrants is relying on Casa Alitas to pick up where they left off and reverse some of the harm. And although Casa Alitas is mainly organized by the Catholic church, a large part of the funding is coming from Pima County. So not only is the church at odds with the federal government, but the local government is also cleaning up the mess of the federal government.
How much money could we save, trauma spared, families united if our borders were open?
I believe anger is beautiful. It inspires, motivates, mobilizes. Anger consumes me until I allow it to become actions of story telling and justice seeking. My anger becomes change through service, through conversation, through writing.
Glad you can be there to help people. Remember, the U.S. is a sovereign nation, as practically all nations are. That should not be so hard to understand if we accept the sovereignty of God. So there are guidelines, as in the 10 Commandments, and there are borders, all for our good and wellbeing. Hope you can see abuse, not only in governments, but also by many who come and do bad things.
Love from Grandpa
You always write with such emotion and passion as you wrestle with big questions and and hard issues, thanks for sharing this. I wouldn't have ever thought of the challenges that could arise from Title 42 being taken away, very interesting perspective to hear.