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Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger took to the streets July 14, walking alongside dozens of Catholics in a procession that called for more humane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers.
Beginning at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the archbishop led the group toward the Detroit ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Regional Field Office and on to the federal courthouse, 7 News Detroit reported.
Strangers No Longer, the group behind the event, is a Catholic organization that works through schools and parishes to assist immigrant families, offering both community-based support and public advocacy.
While many rallies focus on legal reforms or political pressure, organizers said that their walk was neither partisan nor protest-driven.
“I have oftentimes throughout life found myself in a position to be able to advocate for immigrants and migrants,” Archbishop Weisenburger told 7 News Detroit. “We forget that the vast majority of such people are forced into their situation. Immigrants and migrants are a suffering people, and because we recognize Christ and the dignity of our God in every human being, our goal today is to give a voice to those who have no voice.”
The group brought with them a formal letter requesting a meeting with Detroit’s ICE director to discuss concerns about how current enforcement practices affect immigrant communities.
Father David Buersmeyer, chaplain for Strangers No Longer and ombudsman for the archbishop’s office, made it clear that their goal was not to make demands but to engage in dialogue.
“We need to find ways to implement the laws we have, but we have to do it in a way that respects their human dignity, that allows them access to due process, that doesn’t separate children from parents, that doesn’t immediately think, well, let’s deport as the initial solution,” he told 7 News Detroit.
Detroit Catholic reported that Fr. Buersmeyer and Strangers No Longer board president Judith Brooks attempted to give the letter to Kevin Raycraft, ICE field office director in Detroit. However, building security denied them entry, and they were unable to deliver the letter.
“The basic feeling is disappointed, but not unexpected, I guess,” Fr. Buersmeyer said afterward. “We are here because we want to create dialogue. We’re not trying to embarrass them. We want to have true dialogue. We’re not against them. This is not an anti-government protest. We want ICE to do their job, but to do it in a way that doesn’t create fear in the community.”
