A Christian group's petition slamming the "cruel policies" of Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump's MAGA movement has been signed by thousands.
Faithful America, a Christian group that backs social justice causes and opposes "Christian nationalism," recently launched an online petition denouncing "far-right politicians" for using migrants as "political footballs" in negotiations. The petition, titled "Asylum Seekers Are Not Bargaining Chips," had received over 7,700 signatures as of Friday morning.
The petition comes as GOP demands to change immigration policies have helped put funding for unrelated issues like military aid to Ukraine and Israel on ice. Faithful America offered the petition while expressing concerns that some Democratic lawmakers might be willing to "hurt asylum seekers" to pass the legislation.
"Right now in Congress, far-right politicians are turning migrant families into political footballs by demanding permanent, drastic changes to our asylum system in exchange for funding once-bipartisan budget priorities," the group said on a page sharing the petition.
"MAGA Republicans are pushing for cruel policies that would be devastating to families seeking safety from disasters, violence, and economic crisis," it continued. "Alarmingly, some Senate Democrats are actually indicating they might make a deal to hurt asylum seekers before the Christmas break."
Faithful America went on to note that "Congress could vote on this issue soon," while urging supporters to "show them that the religious right doesn't speak for us, and that a nationwide movement of Christians opposes this holiday-season attack on migrant families."
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans blocked a $110 billion supplemental national security funding bill amid a dispute over asylum and border policies. The package, which had been requested by President Joe Biden, included aid for Ukraine and Israel, alongside funding for humanitarian causes and border security.
In a Senate floor speech on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced Republicans for throwing "an unnecessary wrench into Ukraine funding by tying it to the extraneous issue of the border," arguing that it "defies credulity" for the GOP to attempt to inject "Donald Trump's border policies" into foreign aid.
Newsweek reached out for comment to the Republican National Committee and the office of Schumer via email on Friday.
The Faithful America petition is being sent to the offices of Democratic senators, demanding that they "reject any funding bill that includes cuts to our asylum system."
"I am alarmed to hear that some senators are considering helping far-right House Republicans dismantle our asylum system as part of budget negotiations," the text of the petition states. "I believe that migrant families are precious in the eyes of God, and should never be used as bargaining chips in a partisan negotiation."
Faithful America petitions often promote left-of-center political causes through a Christian lens, while denouncing Trump, the MAGA movement and the religious right.
Petitions over the last few months have included denouncements of "immoral" MAGA budget goals, a "frighteningly real" right-wing threat to amend the U.S. Constitution and a description of new GOP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as a "false prophet."
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Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
