Government’s Sanctuary Case

The U.S. Refugee Act of 1980 states that if any person demonstrates “a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, he may not be deported back to the place of persecution.” It is easy to understand why the Reagan Administration has used its influence to preclude any discussion of this act or of the 1968 United Nations protocol on refugees or of the religious motivations of the Sanctuary workers in their defense.

While parading as a law-abiding government, this Administration routinely breaks U.S. and international law, as it hunts down refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala and returns them to probable torture and possible death at home.

It is a historic right of civilians to seek refuge from war, but our government cannot admit that these people are seeking refuge from war because it is financing the war. What inhumane hypocrisy! While this Administration says it honors the separation between church and state, it has supported a shameful policy of wiring paid informers with hidden microphones to go into churches to spy on religious activities.

When the true facts are examined, it seems obvious it is the U.S. government that is participating in criminal activity, not the Sanctuary workers. Obviously this Administration will do everything in its power to prevent the facts from being examined. One positive aspect of this whole reprehensible situation is that by seeking to put a stop to the Sanctuary movement through this prosecution, the government is focusing attention on a subject it would like kept in the shadows. It is ensuring that the Sanctuary movement will grow stronger.

JEAN KOCH

Los Angeles