Faith, Justice, and Immigration
Rev. Miluska Aquije touches base with her mentors Rev. Maritza Crespo and Rev. Dr. Orlando Crespo
“Who Would Jesus Deport?” Backbone Campaign banner lift over the private, for-profit NW Detention Center in Tacoma, WA, 12 May 2013. The action in support of allied faith communities is part of the Backbone Campaign’s efforts to amply “the aspirations of ‘We the People’ with creative strategies and artful activism to manifest a world where life, community, nature, and our obligations to future generations are honored as sacred.” Photo: The Backbone Campaign
Rev. Miluska (Milly) Aquije’s mother brought her to the United States from Peru at the age of three, but it wasn’t until Milly applied to college that she learned she was undocumented. Her immigration status was a secret that would come to weigh heavily on her. For DACA recipients like her, election cycles can be stressful, as immigration is a key divisive issue often deployed by politicians to score political points at the expense of human suffering.
In this episode of OP Talks, Rev. Aquije speaks to her mentors Rev. Maritza Crespo and Rev. Dr. Orlando Crespo about faith, justice, and immigration. Reflecting on her seven-year relationship with the Crespos, Rev. Aquije recounts how being able to lean on the couple gave her the courage to be her authentic self and reassured her that God loves her, regardless of her immigration status. Their conversation touches on humane immigration reform that treats people with dignity, that doesn’t break up families, and that doesn't paint immigrants as a danger or drain to society.
