Standing Beside Our Neighbors in Immigration Court

On World Refugee Day, June 20, Bishop Susan Brown Snook was invited to participate with faith leaders from throughout San Diego in attending immigration court as a ministry of presence. After that powerful experience, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego joined the Roman Catholic Diocese and the San Diego Organizing Project in FAITH—Faithful Accompaniment in Trust & Hope. In this ecumenical ministry, clergy volunteers from seven faith traditions are offering presence at immigration court hearings. Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Unitarians, Muslims, United Church of Christ members, and the Church of the Nazarene are welcome to offer a steady presence of support for fear-filled people facing the prospect of deportation. The goal is not legal advocacy or interference, but to offer spiritual presence, comfort, and solidarity in a space where many feel unseen, fearful, and vulnerable.
Throughout Scripture, God calls the faithful to walk alongside the vulnerable. From Israel’s command to welcome the stranger in Leviticus, to Christ’s teaching that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for him in Matthew, our Christian tradition affirms the sacred duty of accompaniment. Presence is not passive; it is an active, courageous step toward empathetic care. To sit, to pray, to wait–reminding people facing fear and uncertainty that they are not alone, and that God is with them.
The Ven. Cindy Campos, Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, has been attending multiple court hearings a week. “Our purpose,” Cindy explains, “is to be a presence to those seeking asylum, refugees facing deportation, those individuals or families before the judge with or without an attorney. We do this at the individual’s request, to provide spiritual support, not to cause any trouble. We are there as a gift of presence. Our actions speak for themselves.”
With cases moving quickly and often without legal counsel, individuals can feel invisible—reduced to case numbers, files, or legal technicalities rather than recognized as people with hopes, families, and stories.
“I see you. I am here to stand by your side, to provide support. To pray with and for you if you would like. I will stick with you until the very end, no matter how your case ends up,” said Rev. Cindy.
Many feel that their voices or actions cannot create meaningful change, but the Gospel reminds us that discipleship begins not with sweeping reforms but with small, faithful acts of love. Personal agency can be found in the choices we make each day—in how we spend our time, how we treat others, and where we place our attention. These simple choices ripple outward, reminding us that we are not spectators to the world’s struggles but participants in God’s mission of justice and mercy.
Our agency takes on its fullest expression when directed toward the people right in our neighborhoods–vulnerable neighbors, immigrants, the unhoused, families struggling with food insecurity, or those who feel unseen. By showing up, listening, and extending care, we embody Christ’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves. We may not control national policy, but we can choose to serve with courage and kindness where we are planted. In doing so, we discover that real change begins close to home–one relationship at a time.
Rev. Gigi Miller, a deacon in EDSD, shared her experience, “I’ve felt a palpable sense of fear and anxiety from immigrants and their families; one young person I sat beside was visibly trembling. I offered a smile and tried to remain a calming presence.”
Not surprisingly, it is not only immigrants and refugees who carry heavy burdens in the courtroom. Judges, lawyers, interpreters, and court staff are also stretched by the constant emotional strain and the weight of life-altering decisions made each day. Court workers often witness the deep anxiety of those before them without the ability to ease their suffering. Stress and fatigue are shared by everyone in the room–the ministry of presence offers quiet support not just to those on trial, but to everyone under the pressures of this system.
That “gift of presence” often becomes a lifeline. Rev. Cindy recalls an immigration attorney who, overwhelmed by the stress of representing a family of six, reached out to her in gratitude: “Thank you for being here.” Simply sitting beside him helped restore his composure so he could stand strong for the family he was defending.
“I’ve been told by other volunteers that we are making a difference to the lawyers and judges as they consider the cases before them,” Rev. Gigi reflected. “I’ve seen the smiles of relief on the faces of folks waiting for their hearings when we arrive with tangible expressions of faith.”
For Rev. Cindy, the courtroom encounters have reshaped her vocabulary of faith: “Two words have grown in my vocabulary—hospitality and gratitude.” The ministry of presence in immigration court is not about fixing or solving, but about showing up, embodying Christ’s compassion, and bearing witness to the dignity of every child of God.
A young man, without an attorney, asked Rev. Cindy to sit with him through his hearing. “We may not have been able to communicate in words,” she said, “but just sitting together, exchanging an occasional smile of support, got him through. Me, too.” Against all odds, the judge granted him more time. “We walked out of the courtroom together and out into the brilliant sunshine. He gave me the biggest smile, waved, and took off running down the sidewalk. May God be with you.”
We are called to live out courageous love in real and tangible ways. FAITH offers us an opportunity to stand with our neighbors in their hour of greatest need, to practice radical hospitality, and to embody the Gospel’s call to love without condition.
If you are interested in learning more about how clergy can participate in this ministry of presence, please contact Caylie Cruze from San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP) at caylie@sdop.net for the appropriate training. Or sign up for regular updates on the program at faithsd.flocknote.com/generalinterest.