Statement from the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities Regarding the Use of the Syracuse Campus to House Immigrant Children
The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities are in complete support of humanitarian efforts to assist children entering the United States from Central America.
It is within our mission as followers of St. Francis to serve the needs of those most in need. And we applaud Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner’s offer of Syracuse as a safe and welcoming haven for these children when so many communities are turning them away. Syracuse, the neighborhood in which the property is located and the Sisters have a long history of serving immigrants.
That said, the Sisters need to emphasize that, while federal officials have completed an initial evaluation of our property at Grant Boulevard and Court Street and that the property apparently has passed that initial review, no specific proposal for the use of the buildings to house these children has been received. Without a specific proposal that details any such arrangement, the Sisters cannot say whether the children will come here. Should such a proposal be offered, the Sisters will carefully consider its terms against several factors, including, but not limited to: how the facility will be operated, whether the Sisters and other community members who are volunteering their assistance will have the opportunity to engage with the children, the impact it will have on the surrounding neighborhood, and the length and term of a lease or contract.
We understand that this is a complex issue; however, we pray that people see that caring for innocent children in immediate need should be considered separately from the political discussion regarding immigration policy.
I hope that the government will send children to Syracuse. It takes a lot of love and the sisters have that! I think sometimes people look at these children as the new leprosy! It would be good to show these children they are wanted and will be given a chance to find relatives or a safe place to lay their heads. Isn’t that what St. Marianne Cope did?
Please consider the neighborhood and the potential effects this may have. We have been told there will be armed federal guards and armed private security in place to keep the teens (12-17 y/o) contained in the complex. I walk with my baby and toddler around the neighborhood and I do not want them exposed to this and the potential for violence.
[…] The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities in Syracuse, NY also released a statement of their “complete support of humanitarian efforts to assist children entering the United States from Central America.” Read the full statement here. […]