On January 2nd of this year, as I was crossing the border to come back into the country where I was born, I was detained by customs and border control for several hours, where officers of the most intense organization of the Department of Homeland Security interrogated me about the humanitarian work that I and other organizations – including the New Sanctuary Coalition – have done to support migrants. As a result of this work, I have learned that I have had a flag placed on my passport, and I may even have limited access to travel to other countries. In this escalation of what I see to be intimidation, I am grateful to someone who broke the story, and shared this – someone from within Homeland Security who knew that this was wrong. And what I do now, is I call on everyone else of moral courage who is within a position, anywhere within any of these organizations, to speak up, to speak out, to find confidential ways to be able to reach out to people. We are in a moral crisis when clergy are targeted for praying for people. And anyone who cares about what we call religious freedom should be outraged and should be calling their congress people to exercise their oversight so that churches can continue to pray for people and to offer them love and support. And to everyone who works in places where you are asked to do something that is immoral, I say it’s okay to turn back. This is lent. Now is the time. Now is the time for a change of heart. And you can stop this, that is in your power. You don’t want to take these sins to your grave. But turn back now, just like this brave person did. Thank you to whoever that was, I hope you’re seeing this message.

Rev. Kaji Dousa speaks with MSNBC’s AM Joy

“Changing Alliances” by The Rev. Kaji Douša

UCC minister tracked by U.S. government preaches love

A United Church of Christ minister, one of 50 people being tracked and interrogated by the United States government for her humanitarian ministry at the border, speaks of love in this sermon. Investigative journalists at NBC 7 in San Diego have confirmed that the Rev. Kaji Dousa, senior pastor of the Park Avenue Christian Church, New York City, has come under surveillance for delivering support to asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

NYC Pastor Who Went To Mexico To Aid Asylum Seekers Ends Up On Secret Government Watch List

Last November, Kaji Douša, the senior pastor at Park Avenue Christian Church, traveled to Tijuana to meet with and assist members of the “migrant caravan,” thousands of people who had traveled from Central America to the United States’ southern border with the intention of claiming asylum. Douša was part of the “Sanctuary Caravan,” a project that connected faith leaders with asylum-seekers in an effort to help guide them through the asylum process.  READ MORE