The major world religions teach us the importance of how we treat other human beings. They all share the belief that all of humanity is related in one great family, and therefore people should be compassionate toward others. That compassion should be shown not just toward family and friends, but also toward those who have been marginalized by society.

Historically, religious organizations have adapted to changing conditions and needs in expressing human compassion toward marginalized people. Churches in medieval England offered sanctuary protection to fugitives, allowing them to avoid execution. Similarly, traditional Hawaiian culture offered protections to fugitives through Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau, a place of refuge.

In the mid-1800s, many churches in the U.S. served as safe houses for African-American slaves as they used the “underground railroad” to escape to free states. In the 1960s churches provided sanctuary protection to soldiers who refused to participate in the Vietnam War, as was done in Honolulu at the Church of the Crossroads and the Unitarian Universalist Church.

In the 1980s, religious organizations welcomed and harbored refugees from South and Central American wars and transported them from unsafe areas to safe ones.

Today, religious organizations are challenged to address the myriad issues faced by the more than 40 million immigrants living in the U.S., many of whom face issues of discrimination. Of these, more than 11 million undocumented immigrants also fear deportation. They are undocumented because they have either crossed the border without being processed, which is a misdemeanor, or they have entered the U.S. with a visa, but overstayed, which is not a crime.

Throughout our nation’s history, immigrants have overcome hardships and become a constant source of demographic dynamism and economic vitality. Immigrants are taxpayers, entrepreneurs, job creators and consumers. But the immigration system is broken and in need of an overhaul.

For example, under the Obama administration, undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records were targeted for deportation. However, the Trump administration has broadened its reach to include virtually all undocumented immigrants, including those with no criminal record. As a result, a wave of fear has swept through the undocumented immigrant community. There are cases where undocumented mothers with young children who are U.S. citizens by birth have been deported, separating them from their children, who have been left without support.

Immigration is a federal function, and the federal government is responsible for enforcing immigration laws. It is optional for local governments to cooperate with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). More than 600 cities and counties limit their police and other local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with ICE. The City and County of Honolulu recently adopted a resolution to do just that, and the state Legislature is considering a similar resolution that would apply to the entire state.

These are some of the immigrant issues being discussed by religious organizations. Many are considering becoming Immigrant Welcoming Congregations or Communities as a demonstration of compassion toward immigrants. Immigrant Welcoming Congregations work to bend the moral arc toward justice in order to transform communities into places where immigrants, families, friends and neighbors are safe, respected and welcomed.

Religious organizations become Immigrant Welcoming Congregations through a process of introspection, understanding, and action. Action alternatives include offering sanctuary protection to undocumented immigrants, as well as advocating for immigrant rights and humane immigration reform, supporting local campaigns to stop police from cooperating with ICE, and writing op eds and letters to the editor to educate the public about immigration issues. Religious organizations can do much to support immigrants.

The Rev. Mike Young is a former minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Honolulu; John Kawamoto is a grandchild of immigrants and a former legislative analyst; Chuck Burrows is a Hawaiian cultural and progressive Christian community organizer.