On a Thursday in mid-January, Rev. Shannon Jammal-Hollemans saw a post on social media calling for clergy to travel to Minneapolis to rally in opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities there. A few days later, she was in a vehicle with six other Michigan clergy members traveling to the Midwest city,
“I went out of concern about what I’m seeing in Grand Rapids and what I was (hearing) in Minneapolis,” says Jammal-Hollemans, who is the pastor of the First Congregational UCC of Lowell.
Including travel time, Jammal-Hollemans spent six days making the trip to Minneapolis. While there, she met with local residents, walked in a march and participated in a rally held by the organization MARCH (Multifaith Anti-Racism, Change, & Healing).
Seeing Immigration Enforcement Firsthand
While in Minneapolis, Jammal-Hollemans says she heard stories of many people who had encounters with ICE agents…