NJ Faith Leaders Arraigned for Sit-in at Lance's Office

When six rabbis and ministers stood up to enter pleas in court on Tuesday for a recent sit-in at the office of Rep. Leonard Lance, some 30 other clergy members from New Jersey stood up in court behind them. The faith leaders are protesting to pressure Republicans to protect "Dreamers," the undocumented immigrants who arrived in this country as children.

"This is what faith looks like," said Rabbi Elliott Tepperman of Bnai Keshet, a Jewish congregation in Montclair, N.J. "Are we with our neighbors? Do we love the stranger? All of that is on the table and we have government policies that are saying no, and we as people of faith are saying yes."

Last September, Lance released a statement in support of DACA.

"Like many of my colleagues I agree that President Obama exceeded his Constitutional authority and disregarded existing law to implement his plan for undocumented immigrants," Lance said.

"Over the coming weeks I intend to work closely with my colleagues and the Administration to pass meaningful immigration reforms that will secure our borders, strengthen employment verification and provide a workable path for 'Dreamers' with DACA status."

But the New Jersey clergy who protested at Lance's office said he has not acted to protect Dreamers. Congress, as a whole, has failed to pass an immigration bill ahead of its self-imposed deadline of March 5, even after several days of open debate in the Senate last week.

Tepperman said the group of clergy members will continue to protest. Now that they've entered not-guilty pleas, he hopes the civil disobedience charges can be resolved and the group can focus on pressuring Congress to act.