During this time of preparation the celebration of Jesus’s birth, we are reminded that our treatment of those who are most vulnerable in our society-including immigrants-is an articulation of who we desire to be as a nation.

As of September 2018, appropriation bills funding almost 70% of federal government operations have been signed into law for fiscal year (FY) 2019, (including operations of Labor, Health and Human Services, which includes the Office of Refugee Resettlement). Operations related to three bills: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of State (DOS), are currently operating on a continuing resolution that authorizes funding at FY 2018 levels until Friday, December 21, 2018. Congress must pass the outstanding bills or extend current funding levels by December 21st to avoid a partial government shutdown.

As negotiations unfold this week, it is critical that people of faith urge members of Congress to avoid a shutdown – recognizing that Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS), Department of Homeland (DHS) and State, Foreign Operations (SFOPs) fund important refugee and immigration-related programs – while also rejecting funding increases for inhumane enforcement measures.

Join the Ignatian Solidarity Network in supporting the call of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Justice for Immigrants Campaign — advocate that funding not be appropriated to inhumane and unchecked immigration enforcement initiatives.