(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
Nov 10, 2025
When armed forces rise against the vulnerable in our own streets, we are called to rise higher â to stand with our migrant neighbors, to shield them with solidarity, and to insist that love â not fear â shapes the heart of our community.
Dear Holy Covenant,
Border Patrol agents were reportedly being moved out of Chicago and may be heading to Charlotte to conduct operations in late November or early December. As of yesterday, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Gary McFadden confirmed that U.S. Border Patrol is expected to arrive in Charlotte as early as Saturday. For those who may not know, Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency under U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Since Trump took office, Mecklenburg County has seen a sharp increase in immigration enforcement activities, including targeted arrests outside the county courthouse. In the first half of 2025 alone, ICE arrested about three times as many people in our county as it did at the same time last year, according to a recent report from The Charlotte Observer…
As a reminder, Border Patrol agents are permitted to arrest someone without a warrant only if there is strong reason to believe the person is both in the country unlawfully and at risk of fleeing before a warrant can be secured. It is typically illegal for agents to perform stops or searches based on race or ethnicity. However, in September, the Supreme Court granted the Trump administrationâs request to allow stops based on factors such as race.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), if agents approach you in a public place, you are not required to answer questions. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must show your immigration papers only if asked and only if you have them with you. You do not have to consent to a search, and refusing consent does not create probable cause…
As people of faith, we cannot turn away from the suffering of our migrant neighbors and real fear they are carrying right now. Our sacred scriptures are clear about how Godâs people are to treat the immigrant, the sojourner, the stranger, and the one seeking safety. In the Hebrew Scriptures, God reminds Israel again and again: âSo you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egyptâ (Deuteronomy 10:19). The command God gives early on in the Torah is not merely about kindness; it is about a kind of justice that recognizes the humanity and dignity of those who are most vulnerable among us. Over and over, we see God identify with the oppressed and call on its people to protect those who are seeking sanctuary or live on the margins…
Right now, our faith compels us to show up, to advocate, to accompany, and to care for others, especially when our neighborsâ safety, dignity, and their own families are at stake…
It is rumored that local organizers are preparing for peaceful demonstrations this weekend, though at this time specific details have not yet been announced…
In addition, a master list of resources is being compiled and can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1elOV5OuZ9KmIjtON9mHhoXd1QQtpG5vsySq2zNPmkcc/edit?usp=sharing…
Friends, my heart is heavy and troubled as I think about the concerns of migrants, their families, and our city. Many in our city are frightened, uncertain, and bracing themselves for the terror and evil of what may come in the days and weeks ahead. As your pastor, I want you to know that Holy Covenant UCC will continue to offer solidarity and will always stand with those most vulnerable, especially migrants.
As soon as I learn more information, I will share it with the congregation. In the meantime, I ask you to pray. Please pray for our migrant neighbors and families, pray for those living in fear, and pray for this city we so dearly love. May our prayers lead us not into a sense of complacency, but into compassion, courage, and a collective action rooted in Godâs unconditional, unlimited, and extravagant love.
Peace and Blessings,
Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
Senior Pastor, Holy Covenant UCC
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