The Rev. Gary Graf will stroll greater than 800 miles from the south suburbs of Chicago to New York Metropolis’s Ellis Island to talk out towards the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.
“What’s now occurring to immigrant households in the USA, and particularly to youngsters, is an assault on these elementary values of individuals of all faiths. Kids taken from mother and father, little ones weeping in concern, households torn aside time and again. We’re left with the identical reality. There have to be a greater method,” Graf stated Monday morning.
“To tear households aside is to wound the very coronary heart of God. We should announce these actions for what they’re: immoral and un-American insurance policies and enforcement actions that divide households and fracture our nation.”
Graf, 67, is the pinnacle pastor of Our Girl of the Heights in south suburban Chicago Heights and a member of the group Monks for Justice for Immigrants.
Earlier than starting his journey Monday morning, Graf acquired blessings from just a few dozen supporters in entrance of the boyhood dwelling of Pope Leo XIV in Dolton.
Supporters and parishioners accompany the Rev. Gary Graf at the beginning of his strolling journey to New York on Monday in Dolton. Graf, a member of Monks for Justice for Immigrants, will finish his journey on the Statue of Liberty and maintain an interfaith service in assist of immigrant households affected by current ICE enforcement actions.
Candace Dane Chambers/Solar-Instances
“This pilgrimage is meant to mobilize People from each state to demand that compassion, humanity and serving to palms be restored to the immigration course of. It’s about households and kids and about strolling in religion. Step up, converse out,” Graf stated.
Graf’s stroll comes because the Trump administration launched “Operation Halfway Blitz” in September, rounding up undocumented immigrants and others throughout the Chicago space and detaining them. Two individuals have been shot within the operations, one fatally. The immigration operations have sparked many protests.
On Sunday, Gov. JB Pritzker stated he was informed that troops from Texas can be despatched to Illinois, Oregon and different areas. He acquired phrase Saturday that 300 troops from Illinois have been being mobilized.
Graf stated there’s a purpose he’s beginning on the dwelling the place Pope Leo grew up. He needs to focus on the plight of immigrants. Graf’s great-grandparents got here from Eire and Germany many years in the past.
“This nation, from Pope Leo’s childhood dwelling proper right here to Ellis Island in New York, reminds us that immigrants and their households constructed our nation. They deserve not bullets, evening sticks and tear gasoline, however reasonably compassion, dignity and respect,” Graf stated. “We’re talking the reality as a result of it isn’t being informed.”
Graf stated he doesn’t use the phrase “unlawful immigrant” to explain people who come to the USA with out the correct documentation.
“Twelve years in the past I had the chance to cross over from Nogales, Arizona, to Nogales [Mexico] and got here into this nation illegally with out permission. I jumped the fence, and I turned myself into the sheriff in Nogales, Arizona,” Graf stated. “I stated to the sheriff, I did this to make an announcement that an unlawful act doesn’t make somebody unlawful. If that have been the case, how many people who’ve at any time in our lives offended or violated or damaged the legislation on this nation of legal guidelines can be in the identical internet now and be despatched away?”
Graf stated he wonders if the nation nonetheless welcomes immigrants.
“That is the message that we stock to Girl Liberty: the reality that every one immigrants aren’t strangers, however reasonably our brothers, sisters, little children, and America should welcome individuals of excellent will and embrace them and provides them a method ahead,” Graf stated.
Graf’s journey can be documented on social media, together with Fb and TikTok. He stated he can be elevating funds to be donated to needy immigrant households.
Patricia Martinez, 33, is a member of Graf’s congregation.
“It’s a tremendous factor that he’s doing. I imply, I don’t know anyone higher for this however Father Gary. He’s an inspiration to all younger individuals and everyone in our group. We’re actually blessed to have him in our group,” Martinez stated.
Graf stated he hopes to succeed in Ellis Island by Dec. 1, however he might want to stroll as much as 20 miles per day.
The Rev. Larry Dowling is with the group Monks for Justice for Immigrants. He stated Graf will finish his stroll by holding a church service with individuals of assorted non secular faiths.
“This journey isn’t just a journey of Catholics, but it surely’s a journey of all Christians, of all faiths,” Dowling stated. “The fruits of Gary’s stroll can be at Ellis Island, the place there can be an interfaith service that we’ll rejoice and lift up consciousness of all of this that’s occurring to our kids and to those households in our society.”
Michael Puente is a reporter and weekend anchor for WBEZ. Attain him at mpuente@wbez.org.
