A powerful interfaith prayer vigil took place at Alligator Alcatraz, organized by The Worker’s Circle of New York, and hosted by various Florida faith organizations. Sunshine Cathedral—a prominent LGBTQ-affirming church based in South Florida attended this vigil, and will be hosting a similar vigil on September 28. The gathering drew 75 participants, including 20 identified religious leaders from traditions such as the United Church of Christ, the Methodist, Unitarian Universalist, Jewish, Zen Buddhist, and Episcopal denominations. The vigil, held just outside the detention center, was a call for compassion and justice for detained migrants—many of whom, faith leaders said, are being “dehumanized and demonized.” Bishop Durrell Watkins of Sunshine Cathedral delivered a passionate address:
“It is heartbreaking what our government is doing, and what we’ve allowed them to do, but it’s not too late to change it. We must keep praying—with our meetings, protests, worship, writing, spending, and voting—so we can be human again, care again, have empathy again, and relieve suffering instead of spreading it. People here have done nothing wrong except want to be here. Many followed the process and were still arrested. If they’re willing to endure all this just to be here, why aren’t we doing everything to protect them? We could talk about xenophobia, racism, homophobia, and transphobia—all of which contribute—but the reason we must speak up is because these people are our people. The divisions are imaginary….We wouldn’t want this done to ourselves or our loved ones, so we can’t be silent while it’s happening to anyone. Thank you for your witness.”
Joining Watkins were Bishop Robert Griffin, Joseph Long, and Hans Morose—all representing Sunshine Cathedral, the only LGBTQ-identified faith community present at the vigil. Families of detainees were expected to attend, but were unable to reach the site due to a road closure from an accident. Still, the presence of diverse religious voices made the vigil deeply moving—a testament to shared human dignity and the enduring power of interfaith solidarity.
