Register but don’t pack. Citing instructions from the 219th General Assembly, the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC), raised the prospect of moving the event to another city if an immigration bill currently working its way through the Indiana General Assembly is approved.

Register but don’t pack.

That’s the message the Presbyterian Church (USA) is sending to potential attendees of its annual Big Tent conference, scheduled for June 30-July 2 in Indianapolis.

Citing instructions from the 219th General Assembly, the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC), raised the prospect of moving the event to another city if an immigration bill currently working its way through the Indiana General Assembly is approved.

The bill, which has been compared to a similar immigration measure passed in Arizona last year, would have required police to check the immigration status of people during routine traffic stops or in other situations in which an officer had “reasonable suspicion” concerning the person’s status. The bill passed the Indiana Senate and is now in the hands of the House.

In its statement, the GAMC referred to a previous GA measure which prohibits PCUSA agencies “from holding national meetings at hotels in those states where travel by immigrant Presbyterians or Presbyterians of color or Hispanic ancestry might subject them to harassment due to legislation similar to [the Arizona immigration law].”

“It’s a tent, we can pick it up and move it if we have to,” said GAMC chair, Michael Kruse.

A post on the GAMC’s website urged participants to register but not make travel plans, since passage of the bill could lead the agency to move Big Tent to another city.

“We have several viable and attractive options,” stated Kerry Rice of GA Meeting Services. “If we have to change venues, we will contact all those who are registered to present them with their options,” he added.

In a letter sent to all PCUSA congregations for Lent, Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons and GAMC Executive Director Linda B. Valentine wrote: “Similar legislation has been opposed by faith leaders because of the potential for racial profiling.”

The GAMC’s online statement generated some opposition on the page’s comments section. A commenter identified as “Steve” posted: “I fail to see what the big upheaval is about. If travelers are carrying valid passports/identification, there should be no problem. If they are undocumented, and thus illegal immigrants, they should be subjected to closer scrutiny. Why make the location of the Big Tent Event a political statement?”

Big Tent is being billed as an event in which “thousands of Presbyterians will gather from across the country to celebrate the mission and ministry of the [PCUSA].”