Forest Hills Church Offers Help To Undocumented Immigrants

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — The First Presbyterian Church of Forest Hills issued a statement on March 21 welcoming all immigrants and refugees regardless of their legal status.

A banner welcoming all refugees had been hanging outside the church since the beginning of the year.

"You do not need a green card to be part of the Presbyterian Church!" reads the statement issued by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The church decided to side with immigrants and refugees in response to the current political climate.

The parish, located at 7035 112th St., seeks to offer solace to the residents of the world's most diverse borough, Queens. Even though it cannot house undocumented immigrants, the church will offer them help through referrals to legal assistance and long-term housing options.

The church has members from all around the world, including the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, India and China, some of whom are undocumented.

"We make this stand now because recent government actions have created a climate of fear, exposing all immigrants—both documented and undocumented, and even those who were born here to immigrant parents—to systemic marginalization, deportation, and random acts of hatred and violence," reads a statement issued by the church.

"Our faith is a faith of wanderers," opens the statement and relates the stories of Abraham and Sarah, and Mary and Joseph and Jesus as the reason for the church's decision to stand with refugees and immigrants.

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