TMO clergy and bishops from major religious denominations in Houston held a press conference calling on the President and Congress to "welcome" unaccompanied children from Central America and guarantee protections afforded to them in the Trafficking Victims Act of 2008. Religious leaders from Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, COGIC and Baptist denominations were vocal about the need to stop speedy deportations, given the violent conditions children are fleeing. Nineteen local clergy signed a letter to the President, including former Catholic Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, Episcopal Bishops C. Andrew Doyle and Jeff Fisher, Lutheran Bishop Michael Rinehart, General Presbyter Mike Cole of the Presbytery of the New Covenant and Bishop Rufus Kyles Jr. of the Church of God in Christ.

Rev. John Ogletree, pastor of First Metropolitan Church, argued that "Houston is a hospitable …compassionate city. We demonstrated that when we opened our hearts and homes to those suffering from Hurricane Katrina. We should do that again."

[Photo Credit: Billy Smith II, Houston Chronicle]

Houston Religious Leaders Call for "Welcoming" Unaccompanied Central American Children, Houston Chronicle