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Alright I have- feels! Especially as someone who was deported from Utah, and who has done organizing in Utah re: immigration in Utah
Among those who have done immigration organizing in Utah, let me say that we were told from higher ups that the church would never change its stance on immigration.
What is that stance? Silence and benefiting from undocumented numbers (Latinx are the highest baptizing group stateside: google.com/amp/s/www.nbcn… ) while doing nothing to protect them.
In the 90s the church stopped asking for documentation as an indicator of worthiness from its Latinx priesthood holders in order to be able to form branches and wards instead of the districts that were handled.
Since then, Latinx members have been able to organize into wards and branches and be counted among the membership in a more organized manner.
A disclaimer: All the info I am about to say comes from 1) personal experience 2) research from my time organizing. I have not done any organizing as it pertains to immigrants in years. I am not active in Mormonism for reasons I will explain at the end of this thread
The church has known about its undocu problem for a while: Jose Calzadillas was deported in April 2009 after serving a mission in Ohio and not having ID to show at the airport. The church scrambled to change things in order to “protect” its missionaries: archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=…
That was over a decade ago. Since then, multiple people serving as LDS lay leaders have been deported: google.com/amp/s/www.dese…
There is no number on how many members, but I can for sure say one bc, here I am. The general stance is: lean on the congregation of the place you were deported to. This is part of God’s plan for you (from U.S. leadership). Let me tell you that the moment you say that to a person
You stop speaking on behalf of God. You don’t get to say that to someone who was violented to that degree. Ever.
In regards to what the church says, well. Let’s dig into that a little. Let’s start with the Utah compact, a relatively tame statement, not legally binding which the church refused to sign: sltrib.com/news/politics/…
The church publicly endorsed the compact but abstained from signing. Please consider that. There’s a very specific subset of people who at the time were expressing major displeasure at the church even endorsing it.
So, the church couldn’t stand for tame immigration statements. They simply put out their own Luke warm wish that you know, maybe be kind to immigrants but also protect borders. Here is a statement from last year: newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church…
Hinckley said that if you stand for nothing you will fall for anything. Also that we should avoid the appearance of evil. Guess that is relative? 
Back when I was organizing, our question was how the religious organization with the second largest number (1st spot belongs to the Vatican!) of immigration lawyers at its disposal was not doing more to further immigration reform.
We went pretty high up the ladder until we were told, off the record, that the church would never change its stance or come out for immigrants bc some of the highest tithe paying members made a profit + agreed w deportation. We were told to drop it or suffer consequences.
Internationally, immigration has not been its priority. It has been the prevention of marriage equality. The MX area presidency actually went to congress to deliver the signatures they requested of members opposing the availability of it in 2016
Keep in mind that gay marriage has been federally recognized since at leads 2006 here in MX. You can get married and it is recognized across the country, it is just the places hay offer same sex marriage are limited.
But still, the church has found a way.
After Trxmp won in 2016, I was still attending LDS services albeit much more sparingly. To say that my deportation and detention all from and in Utah, all by other Mormon members, messed w my psyche is an understatement
I have PTSD, clinical depression and anxiety. My 10 year ban is nearing its end and well, I know what the church is like w immigrants. It does not care. It takes our tithing money and let’s us defend ourselves. It shrugs and says we need to bless each other’s lives
It does not give us resources. It does not tend to our needs. It does not prioritize our freedom from fear. By their fruits te shall know them, no? Well, we know what the church says. But can we attach any works to their “faith” in the matter?
I left the church for good after 2016 bc suddenly members here started asking me how to keep their family stateside safe. I mentioned the steps, including asking for sanctuary in Catholic Churches. And then a little lightbulb would go off: Why not a Mormon chapel?
It started becoming so common that I could immediately tell when they were abt to lay the question on me. I had already and have already suffered a lot. I was not abt to protect the church and give them a narrative to wash their hands of this.
I was also not abt to willingly contribute to any faith dissonance or faith crisis for anyone. That is some hideous shit and I wanted to part of it. The church has a history of adopting explanations membership gives itself to justify its short comings.
And so after much heartbreak, I left. I am in a much better place religiously. I attend Anglican/Episcopal services. I am familiar w a God who addresses the needs and tribulations of my heart boldly, and by name: things like deportation, things like immigration bans
Like detention centers, like the violence of borders. I go to church on Sunday and know God sees me in a concrete way, bc his servants say so. What the Mormon church is doing to Latinx members is exploitative and violent.
And if you are a US Citizen/European Citizen especially white and want this change from the church, you need to agitate.
Mainly the church has resources and chapels are one of them. Their wing of immigration lawyers are another. They could be using them but have not cared to. You’d protest against that kind of business no? Well then?
