Matthew Soerens @MatthewSoerens Twitter profile

Last Seen Profiles

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Cable news is abuzz with questions of if there’s a Middle Easterner amid the group of ragged, hungry foreigners making their way through Mexico in search of sustenance & safety Of course there is. Haven’t these people read their Bibles? Where do they think Jesus is from, Dallas?

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Particularly if you're a pastor, a great way to respectfully push back against unjust policies (& defend the witness of Scripture when it's been misused) would be to submit an Op-Ed to the local newspaper on why the Bible ought not be used to justify separating kids from parents

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

My heart is heavy tonight after a day along the border. There are amazing people doing all they can to respond with Christ-like compassion here in El Paso--the Church at its best. But there's also so much human suffering converging here, exacerbated by US policies in some cases

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

“You didn’t vote for the people who put kids in jail, did you?” My 3-year-old Zephaniah, whose political philosophy is simple but rather reasonable

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

In today’s @washingtonpost , top evangelical leaders & local pastors from throughout the US respectfully, prayerfully urge Congress & @POTUS to protect Dreamers, refugees, persecuted Christians & immigrant families seeking reunification Add your name at

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Some will see this &, overwhelmed by large numbers of needy people, respond as Jesus’ disciples did: “Send the crowds away” (Mt 14:15) Let us instead follow Jesus, who “had compassion on them” (v.14) & told His disciples to feed them Let us each offer our few loaves & fishes

Mindy Belz

@MindyBelz

3 years

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

From Department of Justice records obtained by Freedom of Information Act requests by ⁦ @TRACReports ⁩: 80%+ of asylum seeking families show up for their court hearings, almost 100% when they have legal counsel

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Dreamers, brought here (on average) at age 6, have done all our society has asked of them. Worked hard, studied, registered with government when given chance Blame the GOP, blame the Democrats, blame the President…but those blaming Dreamers for the government shutdown: stop it

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Anyone who sees a group of poor people, fleeing violence and poverty, making their way up through Mexico as a security threat needs to be discipled @EdStetzer at #ANewThing2018

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

I’m seeing a lot of Christians upset about the halftime show I didn’t see it so have no opinion But here’s something else to be constructively concerned by: our country just ended marriage-based immigrant visas for all from Africa’s most populous country

World Relief Laments Expanded Restrictions on Lawful Immigration

World Relief Laments Expanded Restrictions on Lawful ImmigrationNew “Travel Ban” Will Bar Family Reunification from Particular African and Asian Countries

worldrelief.org

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

Zacchaeus William Soerens was born last night. He & his mom are doing well. You can pray with us that, like his biblical namesake, he will follow Jesus’ call to discipleship & commit himself to restorative justice And with that, I’m signing off of social media for a few weeks…

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

It's not final until the president signs the determination. We should keep advocating, keep praying But this is heartbreaking By comparison, in FY 1980 it was 231,700 FY 1993: 142,000 FY 2002, set days after 9/11: 70,000 FY 2017, set at 110,000 Now, reportedly, just 18,000

Hamed Aleaziz

@Haleaziz

5 years

NEW: The Trump administration intends to set the refugee cap at 18,000, according to a source w/ knowledge of the matter.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

An important fact-check: The President claims "Democrats will not fund border security," but all but 3 Senate Democrats voted for a bipartisan amendment that included $25 billion for border security—the White House threatened a veto because it did not cut legal immigration enough

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

It makes sense to prioritize some immigrant visas for skilled workers who can meet particular US labor needs But I’d be willing to bet most people with Master’s degrees can’t do this. I can’t So we shouldn’t pretend the only valuable skills are those learned in grad school

United Farm Workers

@UFWupdates

6 years

Next time you enjoy radishes in your salad, remember the farmworkers like these Oxnard workers, who harvest the food that we eat. #WeFeedYou #Calor #Ovetime4FarmWorkers

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Julita Bartolome is 66, the wife of a Baptist pastor & @MoodyBible janitor who is also a US citizen This week she was deported after 30 years in the US. She was not a "bad hombre" Grieving for this family & praying for sensible immigration policies

Mount Prospect Woman Deported After 20-Year Quest For U.S. Citizenship

Immigration enforcement officials put Julita Bartolome on a flight to Manila Thursday after denying multiple requests for a stay of removal.

www.wbez.org

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Over the past decade, an average of 6,000 Middle Eastern Christian refugees were welcomed to the US annually, many fleeing situations our State Department describes as genocide Over the past six months: 21 We must not let our government turn its back on the persecuted Church

CBN News

@CBNNews

6 years

Only 21 Christian Refugees Admitted to US From Middle East in 2018; Evangelicals Blast Washington

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Average annual refugee cap by presidential administration: Carter: 224K (FY80-81) Reagan: 89K (FY82-89) Bush 41: 132K (FY90-93) Clinton: 93K (FY94-2001) Bush 43: 73K (FY02-09) Obama: 80K (FY10-17) Trump: 38K (FY18-19)

Sarah Pierce

@SarahPierceEsq

6 years

(again) Want to know how incredibly low 30,000 is compared to U.S. history of refugee admissions? @MigrationPolicy has a data tool for that:

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

I’ve had trouble concentrating on the rest of my work the past couple days because I’m so upset by how our country is turning its back on those fleeing persecution, both in admitting so few refugees & in how we are treating asylum-seeking families at the border. What can we do?

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

When I began working on immigration policy, the gold standard for a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill was the McCain-Kennedy proposal Today, John McCain passed away, 9 years to the day after Ted Kennedy It’d honor both men’s legacies to pass McCain-Kennedy now

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Don't stop speaking up for these kids. The order today did not return kids already detained to their parents. It also makes things only marginally better for those going forward, as kids will be detained (with parents) in jail-like detention Advocate here

The Hill

@thehill

6 years

JUST IN: Trump admin won't make special effort to reunite families already separated: report

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

At @WorldRelief , we’re neither anti-Trump nor anti-Biden, but because of the way we read our Bibles, we’re pro-refugee & pro-immigrant, & we’re going to speak up with & for them whoever is president That’s largely true because @JennyYangWR leads our advocacy efforts. For example

PBS NewsHour

@NewsHour

3 years

The Biden administration is giving mixed messages on whether it would leave historically low caps on refugees put in place by former President Trump. For more on this, watch @Yamiche 's interview with @JennyYangWR .

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Not sure I’ve ever seen this quantified, & it’s shocking: Just 13% of white US evangelicals say their faith is more central to their identity than their nationality We’ve forgotten the biblical truth that we’re “strangers & aliens” whose primary “citizenship is in heaven”

Joshua Wu

@joshswu

3 years

This #July4th weekend, I'm thankful for the liberties/privileges of being an American, but unquestionably value my faith more than my nationality I'm not an outlier #Asian #evangelicals are most likely to value religion>being American, ~3x more likely than White evangelicals

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

This would have resonated with me until I began practicing immigration law, where I learned: 1) It is legal to come to the US border & request asylum 2) Most people cannot apply for citizenship in their country. I explain more here

Legal Paths of Immigration

Music used from Hooksounds.com

vimeo.com

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

6 years

To those in the Caravan, turnaround, we are not letting people into the United States illegally. Go back to your Country and if you want, apply for citizenship like millions of others are doing!

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Today, evangelical leaders from @NAEvangelicals , @ERLC , @WorldRelief , @NalecNews , @cccuorg , @Bethany & more sent a letter to President Biden, pleading with him to keep his commitment to offer refuge to US allies in Afghanistan

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

I absolutely love this welcome sign at Faith Church ( @faithliveitout ) in Indianapolis I wish every US church conveyed this message of welcome to those of all nations

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Up early to respond to Attorney General Sessions’ invocation of the Bible to defend policies separating kids from their parents on @CNN ’s @NewDay . Live at 6:35 AM ET If anyone is up this early on a Saturday morning, please pray I represent what the Bible says winsomely & rightly

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Welcoming refugees has never, in recent history, been a conservative or liberal position It’s America at our best moments in history It’s what a strong, compassionate nation that includes many living out their faith does But there’s an open question: is this still who we are?

New York Times Opinion

@nytopinion

5 years

The number of refugees arriving in the country plummeted from around 97,000 in 2016 to 23,000 in 2018.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

The suspension of the refugee program in 2017 set up a natural experiment to test the relationship between refugees and crime. The findings: halting refugee resettlement had no impact on crime. See this thread & the article for more details

Bloomberg Opinion

@opinion

5 years

So what happened to crime when the refugees were kept out? Precisely nothing. Trump’s refugee ban served as a perfect statistical experiment to prove that one of its alleged motivations — large-scale refugee-driven crime in the U.S. — was erroneous

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

“I miss my husband, children…ministry of the church" Julie Bartolome, whose US citizen husband is a pastor & @Moody_Bible custodian, was deported last month "I’ve been here for 31 years in America, I don’t know what am I going to do" in the Philippines

After Long Immigration Fight, A Family Says Goodbye To Its Matriarch

After losing her fight to gain legal status, Julie Bartolome was deported on Aug. 22. This is how that day unfolded.

www.wbez.org

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Why don't (or why didn't) undocumented immigrants just come the legal way, or go sign up for citizenship? For many Americans, this seems like a very reasonable question. It bothered me a lot, until I began working with U.S. immigration law

Legal Paths of Immigration

Music used from Hooksounds.com

vimeo.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

So thankful for this just decision

NBC Latino

@NBCLatino

4 years

JUST IN: Federal judge overturns Trump admin. border rule requiring immigrants to first claim asylum in another country.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Secretary of State Pompeo just announced a (further) dramatic reduction to the refugee resettlement program, down to just 30,000 I'm so sad that our country is turning it's back on persecuted people, including persecuted Christians

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Just to be clear, the 14th amendment of the Constitution cannot be changed by executive order To the millions of Americans who feel their president is suggesting they don’t belong here in their country of birth, whose flag they pledge allegiance to: You do, as much as any of us

Axios

@axios

6 years

EXCLUSIVE: President Trump plans to sign an executive order that would remove the right to citizenship for babies of non-citizens and unauthorized immigrants born on U.S. soil.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

I wrote for @USATODAY on why—when an incredibly broad range of Christian leaders who rarely fully agree on what the Bible means say we should not separate families—it's bit surreal to be chastised by the attorney general for misinterpreting Scripture:

Sorry Jeff Sessions, the Bible doesn't justify terrorizing parents & children on the border

When Jeff Sessions used Romans 13 to justify "zero tolerance" immigration policies, he forced Christians to reconcile Scripture and the law.

www.usatoday.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Fantastic news: President @JoeBiden has reset the refugee ceiling for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2021 to 62,500

Memorandum for the Secretary of State on the Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee...

In Executive Order 14013 of February 4, 2021 (Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration), I directed numerous actions to...

www.whitehouse.gov

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Feeling overwhelmed today by the scale of human suffering in the world Afghan allies & many others threatened by the Taliban, abandoned New Orleans battered by another hurricane Neighbors near & far fighting covid Haitians still homeless after the earthquake Lord, have mercy

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

With many Christians lamenting the treatment of immigrant children & families in the US, it might be appropriate to acknowledge, corporately, the US church's too-often-unbiblical response to immigrants This litany might be something for church tomorrow

A Lament for the U.S. Church’s Response to Immigrants

Lord, have mercy on us and forgive us.

sojo.net

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

A few years ago, in solidarity with persecuted Middle Eastern Christians, many American evangelicals changed their profile pictures to ن, a symbol ISIS used to identify Christians How will we respond now as the US turns its back on these same people?

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Sacramento is receiving more Afghans than anywhere else in the country, so we've been asking folks from anywhere who are eager to help to help send items for Welcome Kits for families via @Amazon This is our Donation Coordinator's front porch—THANK YOU!

Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Sacramento, CA, home to 1 of every 9 Afghans in the US, “is getting nine months of people in three weeks. Seven families, eight families a night,” @WRSacramento director Kerry Ham explains Here are ways to help, both in Sacramento & for those further away

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

Dr. Anthony Fauci: Americans shouldn’t use the pandemic as an excuse not to welcome refugees

Biden Pledges To Boost Number Of Refugees Welcomed To U.S. After Trump's Deep Cuts

The president-elect reiterated his pledge of 125,000 slots for refugees seeking to resettle in the U.S., striking a very different tone from Trump.

www.huffpost.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

7 years

Updated my chart for @realDonaldTrump as he reportedly will decide on Tuesday how to respond to Dreamers. Praying he makes the right choice

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

If you've only heard news reports about Haitians being allowed into the US (which may lack context that most want to legally seek asylum), you're missing a big part of the story: enough are being deported (without due process to request asylum) to lead a top US official to resign

CBS News

@CBSNews

3 years

BREAKING: A top U.S. official to Haiti has resigned, citing the Biden administration’s "inhumane" expulsions of migrants.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Pastors, I want to challenge you: if you can’t preach a clearly biblical message like this in your context without losing lots of people, tithes & offerings, you’re not making disciples, you’re making nationalists

Micah Fries

@micahfries

6 years

How should a Christian think about the rise of global nationalism? Does the bible have anything to say about it? I touched on it briefly when preaching through Psalm 67 at @brainerdbaptist .

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

“We urge President-elect Biden to uphold his campaign promise to pursue comprehensive immigration reform within his first 100 days in office & to reverse current immigration & refugee policies that put vulnerable individuals in danger…”

World Relief Affirms Need to Pray For and Work With the President-Elect Biden on Key Humanitarian...

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** November 7, 2020 CONTACT:Lauren [email protected](703) 388-6734 BALTIMORE – Following President-elect Joe Biden’s

worldrelief.org

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

At least we're being honest now (Though this violates U.S. law & treaties to which we are a party, which give an individual persecuted because, among other grounds, their religion a right to request asylum if they reach the US)

Steven Nelson

@stevennelson10

5 years

Ken Cuccinelli asked on White House driveway if persecuted Christians will suffer due to new refugee cap of 18,000 'I take issue with how you ask your alleged question' On whether persecuted Christians should cross border to claim asylum: 'Absolutely not, we'll turn them back'

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

In a very secular city, Christians came together across all sorts of divides—evangelical, Pentecostal, liberal Protestant, Catholic—to worship for 96 days straight & protect refugees… & drew in non-Christians in the process Really inspiring. Listen:

How This Dutch Congregation Pulled Off a 96-Day Service

A deeper look at how hundreds of Christians from across the Netherlands came together to worship God and protect an immigrant family from deportation.

www.christianitytoday.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

1 year

I was in El Paso all week. For context: 1) those north of river are on US territory & thus should be allowed under US law (INA §208) to request asylum They’re not running from Border Patrol (where would they run? They’re south of the fence) but want to be found to seek asylum

El Paso Matters

@elpasomatters

1 year

Developing: More than 1,000 migrants have begun crossing from Juarez into El Paso, one of the largest mass crossings ever. Video from @CorrieBoudreaux 1/

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Advice for congressional candidates: Come out today for abolishing Daylight Saving Time Exhausted parents of toddlers who woke up at 4:30 AM are a winnable swing vote (& stop with the ads telling us immigrants are scary people out to harm our kids; we’re not buying that)

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

My 5-year-old can write her name. She cannot understand legal documents. Especially not in a foreign language. That we would ask a 5-year-old to make what could truly be a life-or-death decision on her asylum case is a mockery of any principles of justice or rule of law

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

I know some are skeptical of the @nytimes . I certainly don't agree with every editorial view they take But it's worth stating that I've never been so rigorously fact-checked in my life as by the editors for this piece They take the truth very seriously As should we all

New York Times Opinion

@nytopinion

6 years

One year ago, President Trump issued an executive order to severely restrict the entry of refugees and other immigrant groups to the United States.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

As people march across the US today to declare #FamiliesBelongTogether & that immigrant children should not be separated from parents or detained, in Nicaragua people are marching against a government that has killed many of its own people in recent weeks I’m with both in spirit

Silvio José Báez

@silviojbaez

6 years

Nicaragua otra vez en las calles en la “marcha de las flores” por los niños asesinados por la represión del régimen, anhelando y exigiendo libertad, justicia y paz.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Pastor Douglas is my roommate in DC this week. His story is both heartbreaking & inspiring I simply cannot understand why my government, after an Immigration Judge approved his asylum case on account of religious persecution, has appealed his case to seek to deport him back

Adam Estle

@AdamXEstle

5 years

Incredible testimony from Douglas, a youth pastor who fled Honduras due to gang threats b/c of how many young people he led to Jesus and out of the gangs. He was initially granted asylum, but the US govt is appealing his case. Why?? #ReligiousFreedom #Asylum #LeadingTheWay19

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

After two weeks of intense advocacy, President Biden had reset the refugee ceiling to 62,500 for this fiscal year. @WorldRelief responds:

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Must-read editorial from a conservative editorial board Refugee resettlement shouldn’t be—& until recently wasn’t—a partisan issue Conservatives who support @realDonaldTrump on most issues should follow this lead & speak up now against a dramatic cut to refugee resettlement

Washington Examiner

@dcexaminer

5 years

Our View: No matter what your opinion is on immigration, Trump's new and sharply diminished cap on refugees is exactly the wrong policy.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Joanne Rogers—Mrs. Rogers, widow of Mr. Rogers—is asked what her late husband would be talking about today “It would be about the children…it would be about the immigrants who are having children taken…the children themselves…it just breaks my heart.”

Mr. Rogers’ widow Joanne talks about the new documentary about him

Megyn Kelly sits down with Joanne Rogers, the widow of beloved children's host Fred Rogers, and Nicholas Ma, son of cellist Yo-Yo Ma and a producer of "Won't You Be My Neighbor?", the new documentary...

www.today.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

American Christians seem far less troubled by policy changes that keep people persecuted for following Jesus from finding safety in our country than they were by sales clerks saying, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” I just don’t get it

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Flying to El Paso this evening to see the current situation along the border. A lot had changed in US asylum policy just since I was last there in June I’d appreciate prayers for my interactions tomorrow

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Sandi Tibbetts Murphy, a relative of Mollie Tibbetts, pushes back strongly on politicization of her death: "It is not your right to exacerbate this grievous act by hijacking Mollie & all she believed with your racist fear-mongering”

Mollie Tibbetts relative says commenters are spreading 'racist, false narrative'

"It is not your right to exacerbate this grievous act by hijacking Mollie and all she believed with your racist fear-mongering," Sandi Tibbetts Murphy wrote.

www.desmoinesregister.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

1) There's no evidence, of course, that this is true 2) If someone did have any contagious disease, appropriate public health precautions would be taken when they present themselves legally for asylum 3) If you're looking for a model of how to respond to lepers, I suggest Jesus

Andrew Lawrence

@ndrew_lawrence

6 years

Just now a Fox News guest says the migrants may have "leprosy" and warns that "they're gonna infect our people in the United States"

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Today I’m in DC on Capitol Hill. Tomorrow, I’m headed to the border. Please pray with me that we can help draw attention to this unjust policy, that it would be overturned And watch @WorldRelief on Twitter and Facebook for updates from the trip

World Relief

@WorldRelief

6 years

A few of our team are on their way this morning to Tornillo, TX, where immigrant children are detained after being separated from their families. Tomorrow @MatthewSoerens and @Burns23 will be hosting a FB Live event from #Tornillo . Details to come. #WorldRefugeeDay

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

If you want to really know God, the prophet Jeremiah has some advice

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

Still digesting what this means, but it seems like a huge relief for Dreamers today. Praising God (and trying to understand the full opinion)

SCOTUSblog

@SCOTUSblog

4 years

#SCOTUS rules against Trump administration in challenge to decision to end #DACA program, which allowed noncitizens brought to this country illegally as children to apply for protection from deportation, holding decision was arbitrary and capricious

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

It’s accurate that President Trump blocked refugees from Syria—including persecuted Christians He did so via executive order on January 27, 2017, the very day he told @DavidBrodyCBN he would help Syrian Christian refugees to access resettlement

Brody File Exclusive: President Trump Says Persecuted Christians Will Be Given Priority As Refugees

In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, President Donald Trump says persecuted Christians will be given priority when it comes to applying for refugee status in the United States. “We are...

www1.cbn.com

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

4 years

My Administration has suspended the entry of refugees from terror-compromised nations such as Syria, Somalia and Yemen. Biden’s plan surges refugees 700% into Minnesota, Michigan & Pennsylvania—burdening schools & hospitals while opening the floodgates to Radical Islamic Terror.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Mexico “is the 12th-largest economy in the world, with a higher per-capita GDP than China” Helpful challenge from @MaxBoot to many Americans' stereotypes of Mexico

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

President Trump’s new refugee ceiling reserves 5K slots for religious minorities That’s 80% less than under Obama, when 25K/year came on average: 22K Christians from countries where @OpenDoors says they’re persecuted plus 3.4K other religious minorities

Evangelical Group Decries Trump's Latest Attack On Refugees

Trump told evangelicals he would defend religious liberty. He's undermining that pledge by cutting refugee admissions, a Christian group says.

www.huffpost.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

7 years

"The church must not buy into the fearful rhetoric about refugees," says @MattChandler74 at #EFL2017 , but rather welcome & minister to them

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

@JDVance1 Remain in Mexico did nothing to deter fentanyl; it largely comes in through ports of entry with US citizens or non-citizens with visas, not those seeking asylum (who are searched) Evangelical organizations were among those calling for MPP to be ended

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

President George H.W. Bush has passed on into eternity How our country needs leaders like him now Listen to the respect for human dignity evident in this response to a question about educating children of immigrants in the country unlawfully Full video:

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

If Biden is able to resettle 125,000 refugees, as he's said is his goal, that will actually be way more than a 700% increase in refugee resettlement from this fiscal year, when we're unlikely to reach 9,500 But less than the 132,531 resettled in the last year of George H.W. Bush

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

My mind tends to drift as I read Ezekiel, but this passage stood out to me today While clearly a command for God’s covenant people of Israel, not a US immigration policy, it tells us something about God’s character—He includes outsiders—that should challenge the church in the US

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

At a late night prayer vigil yesterday at our church, a Spanish-speaking church composed mostly of immigrants, I was reflecting on the spiritual vitality that immigration contributes to the U.S. I suspect immigrant congregations pray a lot more than most others in our country

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

But lawmakers have prioritized funding to respond to a non-existent security crisis that fits a political narrative rather than adequately resourcing personnel & facilities to humanely process asylum seekers who are presenting themselves to our government—not trying to sneak in

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

I’ve been trying for 5 minutes to come up with some appropriate commentary on this news report, but I’m just speechless

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

Last week, @JoeBiden re-affirmed his commitment to setting a resettlement ceiling of 125,000 refugees That's not historically high: Presidents Carter, Reagan & G.H.W. Bush all set higher ceilings But it would be a 956% increase over last year's arrivals

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

I'm praying that evangelicals (whether they voted for Trump or Clinton or neither) will speak up loudly now, alongside others, to insist that kids need to be treated humanely & not be detained; that our asylum laws should be respected; & that families should not be separated

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Just released: @OpenDoors ' World Watch List: Of 11 countries where they conclude Christians face extreme persecution, 7 are countries from which persecuted Christians (along with others) are currently barred from resettlement to US as refugees

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Here’s the thing: most immigrants do “stand on their own two feet.” Since 1996, most immigrants are already ineligible for most means-tested public benefits. They already rely on government help at rates much lower than comparable US citizens

Eric McDaniel (Active On Bluesky)

@ericmcdanieldc

5 years

“Give me your tired and your poor who can stand on their own two feet." Immigration Services head Ken Cuccinelli to @rachelnpr today. A new rule would make it hard for immigrants who use public benefits to stay in US: Full 🔊:

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Romans 13 makes me tremble Not because I fear I’m violating US law in how I interact with my immigrant neighbors, but because in our system of government I am responsible for how our government treats them Right now, that’s with cruelty that’s far from Christlike

Daniel Darling

@dandarling

6 years

Romans 13 doesn’t simply mean we submit to the law. It also means, in a representative republic, that we are accountable for the laws we help shape. In a country “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” we are accountable to God for the way we wield this power.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

This is genuinely horrifying. In less than two weeks' time, roughly 600 children have been separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border under a new "zero tolerance" policy:

TVPRA and Exploited Loopholes Affecting Unaccompanied Alien Children | United States Senate...

United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

www.judiciary.senate.gov

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

I've said the US refugee program is being "decimated." My brother-in-law informed me that decimated, etymologically, refers to a 10% reduction Thus far in 2018, the US refugee resettlement program is on track to receive 77% fewer than in 2016 So it's decimation many times over

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

I’ve watched 6 @worldrelief offices close over the past 2 years, directly as a result of our government’s decision to dramatically restrict refugee resettlement This 7th office to close is hitting me especially hard. This piece beautifully conveys why

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

White evangelicals' misinformed fear of Muslims, whom most white evangelicals do not know personally, is a serious discipleship problem God commands us to love our neighbors, including those whose religion is different (Luke 10:25-37) You can't love people you're afraid to know

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

I don't mean to be oversensitive, but the huge recent refugee/asylum/immigration policy shifts from Homeland Security have enormous impacts on the lives of human beings made in God's image We can debate if they are right or wrong, but maybe government should not be making jokes

ARCHIVED DHS Spokesperson

@SpoxDHS

5 years

DHS beat reporters are gonna be busy today.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

The policy that separated children from parents has long since moved out of the headlines, but its effects are still very real for many families Not only must we never, as a nation, do this again, we should insist our government do everything possible to reunite & restore

Catherine Rampell

@crampell

4 years

More than three years ago, the Trump administration began a program of systemic, government-sanctioned child abuse, targeting asylum-seekers. We still haven’t reckoned with what it takes to now make things right — if that’s even possible.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

It's been a maddening, disillusioning day, and I'm not celebrating this until there is a new ceiling, with pen to paper But it's a better message than what was signed this morning, and shows that advocacy has an impact

Seung Min Kim

@seungminkim

3 years

NEWS from @PressSec : "We expect the President to set a final, increased refugee cap for the remainder of this fiscal year by May 15."

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

I've spoken with several people recently who echo this: formed by American evangelicalism, grateful for the commitment to Scripture & mission it instilled in them, & now confused, hurt &/or angry that some evangelicals seem ambivalent as our country turns its back on refugees

Jeff Holder

@oupajeff

5 years

So very thankful for the evangelical church that birthed me, introduced me to Jesus, taught me to love God’s Word & the whole world for which Jesus lived and died. It was the evangelical church that ordained me to preach and sent me to seminary for further studies. I served /1

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Dropped my 3-year-old off for 1st day of preschool. He's a sensitive little guy who never wants to be apart from Mom or Dad. Promised him Mom will be there in a few hours I'm praying for him now And for 500+ kids who haven't seen their parents for months

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

If you believe in the rule of law, this should be troubling. For good reasons—because we resolved decades ago not to return people to danger or death—our laws allow individuals to request asylum. Not all will qualify, but they have the right to due process

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

It's true that most heroin comes across the southern border, but it comes through ports of entry, not between borders, so a wall can't stop it 80+% of heroin apprehended at our border is apprehended by those at ports of entry, not by border patrol

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

3 years

Pres. Biden has "basically broken his promise," says @JennyYangWR After such criticism, @WhiteHouse clarified it may still raise refugee ceiling in May “At this point,” responded @Bethany 's @NathanBult , "there are too many broken promises to give them the benefit of the doubt"

POLITICO

@politico

3 years

Democrats were up in arms over the White House’s refugee policy. The administration’s attempt to clarify hasn’t repaired all the damage.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

2 years

“Invasion” is what Russia’s military is doing to Ukraine Not what Ukrainians are doing to Poland Not what Ukrainians, Cubans, Hondurans & others are doing to the US: pleading for help &, in some cases, being allowed in by our govt under terms of US law

Abbott Threatens to Declare an ‘Invasion’ as Migrant Numbers Climb (Published 2022)

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has pursued an expensive and unusual effort to harden the border. But after a year, there is little to show for it.

www.nytimes.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

Here's something I've long admired about the Catholic Church: it doesn't surprise me at all that @CardinalDolan emphasized all these vulnerable people, nor that @JamesMartinSJ did the same at the DNC When theology, not partisanship, is our guide, we need not choose

Rhina Guidos

@rhina_guidos

4 years

New York’s @CardinalDolan included immigrants and refugees, as well as the unborn and the elderly in his prayer at the start of the #RNCConvention2020

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 years

Evangelical anti-trafficking & child protection orgs like @WorldRelief , @WorldVision , @IJM , @Bethany & others, echoed by 25K+ lay people, have been decrying this child expulsion policy for months I'm praying people start paying attention & demand this end

25,000 Christians Urge Ivanka Trump to Protect Unaccompanied Minors in Danger of Trafficking at the...

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** October 13, 2020 CONTACT:Lauren [email protected](703) 388-6734 BALTIMORE – 25,000 Christians have joined World

worldrelief.org

Michael D. Shear

@shearm

4 years

BREAKING -- Migrant children from Central America are being expelled to Mexico, where they have no family. Another critically important story from @itscaitlinhd with @KannoYoungs .

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

4 months

At the border in El Paso today, after visiting McAllen, Texas yesterday, and I thought I’d share some thoughts on the state of congressional negotiations & the recent declaration here in Texas of an “invasion” I also wrote on this for @CTmagazine in 2022

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

The asylum crisis at the border, the role of the Church & the healing power of Scripture This @CTmagazine piece should be required reading for Christians trying to understand what’s happening at the border

Fleeing North in the Full Armor of God

When our church offered therapy to traumatized migrants, we witnessed the healing power of Scripture.

www.christianitytoday.com

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

5 years

Today, evangelical leaders from @WorldRelief , @erlc , @NAEvangelicals , @Bethany , @nhclc & others wrote to the White House & Congress, urging them to quickly resolve the crisis facing kids & families at the border Read Add your name

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

1 year

This is absolutely right. If someone was brought here as a child and has grown up in this country, they should have the chance to apply for permanent legal status—full stop It makes no sense to penalize someone because they’ve stayed on a valid temporary dependent visa for years

Improve The Dream

@ImproveTheDream

1 year

. @SenatorSinema and @SenThomTillis ' bipartisan framework needs to include a path to citizenship for Documented Dreamers, individuals who have historically been excluded because they have maintained a lawful status. It does not make sense to require being undocumented to benefit.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

1 year

One of the biggest challenges facing refugee resettlement right now is the challenge of finding affordable housing, particularly when refugees initially arrive and do not yet have a credit history Churches are stepping up to meet this need, and we're so grateful! @WRDurham

Baptist Standard

@BaptistStandard

1 year

A group of North Carolina Baptist churches has begun retrofitting vacant church-owned buildings for refugee housing.

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

7 years

Evangelical Immigration Table—including @NAEvangelicals , @ERLC & others—urges @POTUS , Congress to protect Dreamers

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Matthew Soerens

@MatthewSoerens

6 years

Presidents of @azusapacific , @WestmontNews , @VanguardU , @PLNU , @LifePacific & @ConcordiaIrvine —all Christian colleges in Southern California—are standing up for their students with DACA, urging Congress to act now to protect Dreamers:

Christian colleges want protection for the DREAMers

One young woman is determined to be a pediatric neurosurgeon, another is committed to improving mental health interventions in schools. A young man is eager to serve the only country he has called …

www.dailynews.com

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