Parishioners petition against travel ban

As an American and a Christian, Rev. Susan Fortunato of Christ Episcopal Church said President Donald Trump's immigration and refugee ban was disappointing.

"I've always thought of this country and the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of our relationship with refugees," Fortunato said. "To see such prejudice at the national level is disheartening and the preference for non-Muslim people is offensive."

More than 50 parishioners with the City of Poughkeepsie church stood against the ban, signing a petition Sunday.

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Trump's executive order bans immigrants from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia from entering the U.S. for 90 days and bars refugee admissions for 120 days. Syrian refugees were banned indefinitely by the order.

The petition called for Trump to "not halt refugee resettlement, lower the overall number of refugees we resettle or stop resettlement based on religion or country of origin." It was signed by 56 parishioners.

Greg Miller, a Poughkeepsie resident and parishioner, introduced the petition to the church as a means of responding to the ban, Fortunato said.

"We wanted to, as an institution, let Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County know that we support the refugees here and those dreaming of someday living in a place of religious tolerance and freedom," she said.

Moving forward, Christ Episcopal Church will organize with the Mid-Hudson Refugee Solidarity Alliance on demonstrations in support of refugees.

The alliance plans on hosting a rally at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 325 Mill St. in Poughkeepsie.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW