President Donald Trump will start his term today as the country’s 45th leader, though faith communities around the Twin Cities have rejected him.
Faith leaders declared themselves “sanctuaries” to refugees who feel threatened by Trump’s mass deportation promises. The state’s ISAIAH chapter, a network of 100 congregations that promote social action, met last month to declare the sanctuaries’ formation.
“The threat by President-Elect, Donald Trump to prioritize deporting 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States – starting on his first day of presidency – has unleashed a hate rhetoric that has forced the most vulnerable members of society into fear of losing their families, communities and homes,” ISAIAH wrote in a Dec. 7 press release.
In the local Jewish community, a group called the Frozen Chosen PAC is standing up against Trump, too.
The group, created “to spread progressive values,” according to their Twitter page, has actively denounced the GOP and supporting former President Barack Obama on social media.
“In the wake of the election, and just the uncertainty of the next four years, and then how things have kind of been transpiring in terms of the anti-Semitism and craziness of the whole election cycle, I came up with starting a PAC not so much for fundraising, but just to help get the word out,” said Frozen Chosen creator Ryan Fagan. As of now, the young PAC exists as a webpage online, and on Facebook and Twitter.
So far, the group has engaged in banter with Trump supporters over Twitter, sharing progressive values, “with a sort of Jewish value” folded in, he said.
What’s coming for the group later this month is still under wraps, but Fagan said plans include a community-wide discussion with an undisclosed guest speaker.
The group will continue to engage right-leaning Twitter “trolls” in discussion, especially as Congress works to gut the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan in place.
“[We are] letting them know we’re not just going to bend over and let them walk all over us,” Fagan said.
Community members interested in getting involved with the Frozen Chosen PAC can visit their website at frozenchosenpac.com, follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or send an email to [email protected].
