Whereas Jewish scripture, Jewish ethics and our moral code teach us to welcome the stranger and free the captives as a reminder that we were once strangers in Egypt and need to treat others with compassion and justice; 

Whereas we are a nation of immigrants whose talents and hard work resulted in the United States becoming a leading nation in the world; 

Whereas as Jews we remember that the 1921 Emergency Quota Act and the Immigration Act of 1924 drastically cut immigration to the United States and resulted in millions of European Jews, among others, never being allowed entry into the US and then being murdered in the Holocaust; 

Whereas over recent decades, political rhetoric in the U.S. has turned harshly against all immigrants; 

Whereas political rhetoric turned into policies that separated over 5,000 children in 2022 from their families and putting children and adults into cages in violation of basic human rights;

Whereas using language such as “poisoning the blood, criminals, 

animals and vermin” to describe immigrants serves to drum up anti-immigrant hate, and is reminiscent of propaganda used by Hitler; 

Whereas some current officials have stated plans to round up millions of immigrants, including children who are American citizens, put them in internment camps, and then deport them, are behaving inhumanely and are undermining American democracy and our global moral standing; 

Whereas immigrant and American children of immigrant parents, have the right not only to live in the United States, as the long-standing Supreme Court decision Plyler v Doe emphasizes that all children, no matter their immigration status are entitled to the same opportunity of a public education as any other child; and 

Whereas working immigrants pay into Social Security and Medicare although they will not be able to access their benefits, and have always been vital to our economic prosperity nationally and particularly in Florida; 

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, that elected officials, civic and religious leaders: 

1. Say NEVER AGAIN to the rounding up and deportation of children and families; 

2. Do everything in their power to uphold people’s civil liberties and protect children and their families from extremist deportation policies; 

3. Stand behind preceding policies that have prevented the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency from entering our schools, houses of worship and hospitals; 

4. Require that school districts, State and other local government counsel put together legal strategies to protect students and to require judicial warrants signed by a US District or State Court judge to enter areas such as schools, hospitals, or houses of worship; 

5. Condemn extremist rhetoric and plans for inhumane deportation policies and work towards sensible moral immigration and border policies; and 

6. Communicate opposition to proposed extremist deportation policies. 

The Suncoast Jewish Alliance adopted this Resolution in December 2024. 

Suncoast Jewish Alliance 

The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: Leviticus 19:34.