Agudath Israel of America expressed its deep concern and disappointment over the recently adopted policy of separating the members of families who have entered the United States illegally. It is a practice that has caused, and will continue to cause, profound suffering and pain to both parents and children. We implore that the policy be immediately rescinded, and that affected families be reunited. As of press time, moves were afoot to halt the practice.
The problem of illegal immigration is a serious one, and the Agudah supports reasonable efforts by the administration and legislature to stem the flow of would-be immigrants who have not been accepted through the legal immigration system.
But the Agudah says that United States, a shining beacon of freedom in the world, must always exhibit humanity and compassion in its laws and policies. Seeking to enforce its statutes does not relieve the country of this moral obligation. The extreme anguish, fear and trauma from separating undocumented immigrant family members, which is particularly harmful to children, deeply offends our highest values. It is wrong and unjustifiable.
As Jews, the Agudah noted, we find this practice particularly loathsome. For millennia, Jews in the diaspora suffered many forms of persecution, including — among the most tragic — the forced breakup of our families. It is a punishment that neither parents nor children should ever have to endure.
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The recent Agudah Dinner
Agudath Israel on US Pull Out of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
Agudath Israel of America applauds President Donald Trump for his decision to pull the United States out of the United Nations Human Rights Council. With this action, our nation is making a strong and unequivocal statement that it will no longer tolerate the UNHRC's abetting of foreign repression and the abandonment of its mandate to protect human rights around the world.
The UNHRC's embrace of tyrants and its appeasement of rogue nations have made this body complicit in persecution rather than the protector of the persecuted.
With its constant condemnation of Israel, and its obsessive attempts to delegitimize her, the Council has become a breeding ground for anti-Semitic hatred and a rallying point for those who seek to give license to that hatred.
It was hoped that U.S. participation in the UNHRC would balance the influence of authoritarian regimes and that America's voice would temper the Council's odious statements and actions against Israel. But, despite our nation's valiant efforts, the character of the UNHRC remains the same, and rather than promoting peace and freedom, it continues to help institutionalize and embolden evil.
We thank Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his exemplary leadership on this issue and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for her continued bold and principled advocacy for American values on this world stage.
