About 50 people from faith communities across the state joined a monthly vigil on Tuesday. They held signs in support of immigrants and walked in front of the ICE field office in downtown Manchester as a show of support for any immigrants checking in with ICE.
David Woodbury of New Boston was one of the people that held hands and sang outside the building. He shared concerns about the way that immigrants are being treated in the country. He compared it to the situation in 20th century Europe and decided to attend the vigil with his wife and other members of his church.
“I haven't gone to many demonstrations, but I feel strongly about the issue of immigration,” he said. “We've sort of drawn the curtain really on the basis of racial discrimination against people who don't look like us, but who are actually very good people and very valuable people who we should let into the country.”
Others spoke about their concerns around the government targeting immigrants with legal status, using local police to carry out immigration actions, and disregarding due process for immigration detainees.
Episcopalian minister Jason Wells of Goffstown has been involved with the monthly vigil since the first Trump administration and said organizers are seeing more interest from faith communities.
Wells was joined by a few members of his church and said it was important to him to live out his faith on a day-to-day basis.
“Loving people means loving them all the time in all places, no matter who they are, where they're from,” he said. “People are hurting. And when people are hurting, love means you have to respond.”
Organizers also encouraged attendees to stay involved beyond the vigil by reaching out to elected officials to oppose legislation that pushes a tougher line on immigration enforcement and restricts who can access a driver’s license, including asylees.
They also encouraged attendees to reach out to local police departments and register their opposition to programs that deputize local police to carry out federal immigration enforcement.
