Suburban pastor's pilgrimage to New York will highlight plight of immigrants

"What is now happening to immigrant families in the United States, and especially to children, is an assault on those fundamental values of people of all faiths. Children taken from parents, little ones weeping in fear, families torn apart again and again. We are left with the same truth. There must be a better way,"

"To tear families apart is to wound the very heart of God. We must announce these actions for what they are: immoral and un-American policies and enforcement actions that divide families and fracture our nation."

"This pilgrimage is intended to mobilize Americans from every state to demand that compassion, humanity and helping hands be restored to the immigration process. It is about families and children and about walking in faith. Step up, speak out,"

Rev. Gary Graf, a 67-year-old pastor from Chicago Heights and member of Priests for Justice for Immigrants, will walk more than 800 miles from the south suburbs of Chicago to New York City's Ellis Island to protest mass deportations. He began the pilgrimage with blessings in front of the boyhood home of Pope Leo XIV in Dolton and intends to mobilize Americans nationwide to demand compassion, humanity and helping hands in the immigration process. Graf characterizes family separation as immoral and un-American and cites recent enforcement operations, local raids, shootings and troop mobilizations as motivation for the walk.

Read at WBEZ