Statement from North American Division regarding end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America is concerned about the impact that the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program may have on the lives of 800,000 young men and women in the United States, also known as “dreamers.” 
 
At the center of our response is a continuing appeal for compassion and mercy. Seventh-day Adventists are the most racially-diverse religious group in this country, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center report. We believe that all the children of God are equal and precious in His sight, and we are called to treat each other with love and respect.
 
The end of the DACA program will bring anxiety and insecurity into the lives of those who live in the communities where our churches minister. Many of our own young church leaders and members, and even some of our young pastors, are dreamers—young men and women who bought deeply into the American dream. 
 
We pray for wisdom and understanding for U.S. leaders as they seek a solution, and we pray that the solution will be imbued with God’s grace and mercy. We pray that the dreamers feel the hand of God leading them forward and the love of their brothers and sisters in Christ. We, as a Seventh-day Adventist Community, will continue to pray and support all those who dream of a better life.