Rev. Msgr. Paul Hudock performing Las Posadas service in upper rotunda at State Capitol Photo: Rev. Zach Drennen
CHARLESTON, WV — West Virginia faith leaders and community members gathered outside Governor Patrick Morrisey’s office on Monday December 8th for a press conference to speak against the state police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cooperating to arrest and incarcerate people in West Virginia, many of whom have no criminal records.
The group delivered a petition to Governor Patrick Morrisey and other state officials which calls on the Governor to issue a moratorium on ICE arrests in West Virginia during the holiday season. The petition, signed by nearly 700 people, reads in part:
“I am writing to respectfully request that you issue a temporary moratorium on the detentions of undocumented immigrants within the state of West Virginia for the months of November and December 2025, in honor of the upcoming holiday season, which includes the celebration of Christmas.
The Christmas season is a time of profound spiritual reflection, compassion, and the celebration of family bonds, principles that are deeply cherished by the citizens of West Virginia. For the Christian community, which includes a significant portion of the undocumented population in the state, the holidays are particularly sacred.”
Speakers at the press conference, emceed by Reverend Jeff Allen, spoke from various faith traditions about the contributions of immigrants in West Virginia and what the story of Christmas and Las Posadas remind us about the Christian duty of providing sanctuary.
Rev. Msgr. Paul Hudock, Hispanic Minister with the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, said: "We ask the Governor show clemency by recognizing the humanity of undocumented immigrants during the Christmas season. Most of those being detained are otherwise innocent of major crimes. Please do not add to human suffering by separating families during the season of Christmas."
Reverend Cindy Briggs-Biondi, pastor at St. Marks United Methodist Church spoke at press conference saying:
“Caring for immigrants and working to end unjust arrests and deportations is an act of Christian discipleship. It is faithfulness to the God who liberated Israel, who came to us as a refugee child fleeing Herod, and who still meets us every day in the faces of those seeking safety. To welcome the immigrant is to welcome Christ. To stop the harm of detention and deportation is to stop harm against Christ’s own body. That is our calling, our witness, and our holy responsibility.”
Ms. Rachel Dash with West Virginia Council of Churches Family Concerns Program Unit Immigration Task Force said to those gathered:
“We Jews have a collective memory that reminds us what it is like to be dehumanized, to have our families ripped apart, and made to fear for the safety, security, and lives of ourselves, our families, and our children. My paternal grandparents and their families fled Russia in the late 1800’s to escape atrocities ordered by the tzar that included forced exile, violence, and massacre of one ethnic group, the Jews. What is happening in this country against those who came to this country as so many of us did—to escape violence and persecution, or to create a better life while contributing to their communities—chills me. Governor Morrisey, use your power justly. Stop these horrific ICE raids.”
Reverend Zach Drennen the Rector of Saint James Episcopal Church of Lewisburg, said:
“All our baptismal traditions might be different, but in the Episcopal Church we take vows that come right out of a core tenant that we are all children of God, and that we promise to love our neighbor as ourselves. In Genesis, we read that human beings were created in the image and likeness of God, which we take to mean that we ourselves have that same divine spark that God has. And that means all of us. So when we separate children from their parents, we are abandoning our core tenants and not respecting the divine dignity of every human being. We are not not living into the vows we take as Christians.”
Following the press conference, the group reenacted the story of Mary and Joseph looking for a safe place to stay in Bethlehem on the evening of the birth of Jesus Christ. The group went from door to door, delivering the petition to the offices of the Governor, Attorney General, Senate President, and House Speaker.
Organizers of the event included the WV Council of Churches, American Friends Service Committee, and Catholic Diocese of Charleston-Wheeling.
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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.