How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

We may differ as to immigration laws and policy, but how we think of immigrants is surely important.  I think Christ Jesus saw each person as a son or daughter of God.  Boaz did not see Ruth the Moabitess as someone to look down on but was kind from the outset.  He and Ruth became the ancestors of King David, and of Jesus.

How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

Patriotism begins with human allegiance, not narrow statism. I understand the game of politics but find it hard to fathom how anyone religious could ever abandon concern for the immigrants in our midst, whether legal or not. Leviticus commands, “When strangers sojourn with you in your land, you shall not do them wrong. The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” [19:33-34]. This principle permeates Jewish tradition and is echoed 35 times in the Five Books of Moses, more than any other commandment in the Bible.

How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

I believe many people are overreacting to the immigration situation. Ironically, the argument in favor of openness to foreigners is not most aided by some recent notion or political point. It is rooted in Biblical verities such as the welcoming of strangers, the story of Ruth and Naomi and Jesus’s teaching of The Good Samaritan and his encounter with the “woman at the well.”

Regarding the jobs situation, what if ten million of “our” overseas jobs were shifted back to the U.S. and about eight million went to native citizens and about two million went to immigrants? A dent in unemployment, plus the good work that so many immigrants obviously do…to me, too much greed and paranoia are rampant.

How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

People who claim to be disciples of Jesus, who claim to be believers in his God, who is also the God of the people of ancient Israel, the God of the prophets, the God who gave the law after freeing the Israelites from slavery, should have a basic stance of welcome and hospitality toward those who seek to immigrate from one land to another.

In Exodus, God speaks to the Israelites and tells them, “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus22:21). Jesus makes our treatment of strangers the criterion for judgment, “I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35).  Religious leaders and people of faith who stand within this faith tradition are called and empowered by God to say to people who come to this land, “welcome.”

The anti-immigrant movement in the United States is fueled not by faith in this God of Jesus Christ but rather by the gods of fear, hatred, and scarcity. Rather than worship the abundant, life-giving, and liberating God of Jesus Christ, the anti-immigrant folks worship gods who encourage death-dealing and enslavement.

Treatment of immigrants is a test of faith. Do we welcome the stranger as a representative of God (see Genesis 18 and Hebrews 13:1-2), or do we despise and exclude the stranger as a threat? Do we share our goods trusting in God’s abundance or do we hoard our goods fearing the god of scarcity?

For people of faith it really is an either/or. Either follow God and welcome the stranger or reject God as you reject the stranger.

How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

There is no higher value in the Bible–both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament–than that of offering hospitality to the stranger, to the alien, to the sojourner. It not only stems from the two great commandments: to love God and love neighbor, but from the beginning of the community of faith, when Abraham and Sarah offered hospitality to strangers, not knowing they were angels offering and earth-shattering word.

During the wilderness years there developed a great sensitivity to the needs of aliens and strangers in a foreign land. Because of their experience, laws were set up to do what was possible to secure the safety of foreigners. Even synagogues became houses of hospitality, so that some had guest rooms to offer to the sojourner.

Jesus continually offered hospitality and safety to those outside his circle, be they tax collectors, a woman caught in adultery, and received hospitality from a woman at the well in Samaria. Many of his stories had to do with feasts where everyone could take part.

The whole biblical story of hospitality intends to convey something important about the reciprocal relationship between God and humanity. Behind Jesus’ imagery is the magnanimous God who constantly grants far more than we need or deserve. Some perceive this, offer thanks, and act compassionately. Others see only dog-eat-dog competition and turn away.

In short, the biblical writers knew that God by nature recruits outsiders to be partners in providence, make a home around them, and through them enriches the world.  When we limit our partnerships to those who most resemble us, we miss out on this fullness.  And as one who has benefited from the friendships developed with immigrants, and has helped to re-settle refugees, I can only offer my witness: They have transformed me, and have helped me to see the width, breadth, and depth of God’s love.

Finally, I would remind the reader of the words of Elie Wiesel, survivor of Auschwitz and Nobel Peace Prize winner: “There is no such thing as an ‘illegal’ person.”

How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

I confess that my position on illegal immigration is neither coherent or settled.

One one hand, the Bible and the Church teach that the laws of sovereign nations should be obeyed–assuming those laws are just. The United States has an established system for legal immigration. When immigrants ignore that system and enter our country illegally, they are flouting our laws, and perhaps the law of God, as well. Illegal immigrants tax the capacity of local governments to provide services to their communities. It’s costly to provide education, health care, and other services to individuals who haven’t registered themselves or contributed tax revenues.

On the other hand, many illegal immigrants come to America because their own economic and social conditions are dire. When they arrive, they find amble opportunities to earn money, much of which they send home to their struggling families. There are American industries that depend on illegal immigrant labor. Many of these jobs are at the lowest rung–jobs many Americans would not perform. From a religious point of view, most Central American immigrants are fellow-Christians. In my experience, most are hard working and committed to their families. When I think of them as an abstraction, they’re a social problem. When I meet them personally in our health centers, they’re flesh and blood neighbors who deserve my respect and care. The innumerable biblical injunctions to care for the alien and stranger seem to speak louder than the admonitions to obey governing authorities.

My view of legal and illegal immigration is further informed by my family’s story. Our great grandparents on both sides were Irish immigrants who left poverty in hopes of beginning new, more prosperous lives in America. Three generations later, their descendents have college educations and white collar jobs. If we’ve taken advantage of America’s freedoms and opportunities, how can we justify denying others the same chance?

Tougher laws aimed at illegal immigrants and those who employ or serve them will fail. As long as stark economic disparity exists between the US and our southern neighbors, men and women will find ways to enter our country. They’ll be hired by Americans to do work we’re not willing to do at wages we’re not willing to accept. In doing so, they’ll better themselves and their families. When they need the assistance of schools, hospitals, and churches, they’ll continue to receive it.

I am an immigrant to Tennessee from Alabama and have gone mostly undetected.  That said tongue-in-cheek, I haven’t kept up with genuine immigration issues, particularly illegal immigration, much beyond a few reruns of Border Wars on National Geographic channel.  So I will not venture much opinion here on something I’ve not thought near enough about.  This is to my regret since I know these issues have deep and wide social ramifications.  I welcome legal, law-abiding immigrants as I would want their countries to welcome me.  The gospel did wonders on my old xenophobia.  Many in my church involve themselves with legal immigrants, particularly from Sudan, who need Americans to be their friends as they settle among us.

I recognize illegal immigration is the thorny matter, and not so much on legal grounds as emotional.  I received a timely e-mail this week from my mom, a Nashville-based freelance editor.  Mom was once a newspaper editor and edited for Thomas Nelson publishers.  I find her perspective good fodder for my own:

“Recently I was asked to do a first reading and comment on a Christian novel that I would later edit. As I began to work on my third novel by this author, I found her main characters included a young pregnant woman and her husband in Mexico. By showing the violence and terror all around them (the young woman’s extended family was murdered by a cartel), the author made the reader sympathize with their eventual border crossing to escape the mayhem. The fact that they fell into the hands of an unscrupulous ‘coyote’ who took their money and then sold them into slavery added another wrinkle. By then I was rooting for them to escape and find sanctuary in the U. S., even though I don’t believe in illegal immigration. 

“While reading the book, I thought about advising the publishing house that the author almost seemed to be advocating for illegal immigration. I knew, even in a novel, that might not be received well by her intended law-abiding audience. But I couldn’t do it because the author had done nothing wrong. She had created believable characters that showed her readers what it might be like when one’s only hope of a better life—or survival at all—was to cross a border. She had put her readers (and me) in that uncomfortable position of feeling one way about vigorously enforcing the border, while knowing that Jesus and His often inconvenient “law of love” would mandate another way of dealing with the individuals who managed to cross it.”

Mom articulates well the felt tension for followers of Jesus.  Our respect for immigration laws does not nullify the compassion we feel for those who break the law out of desperation, as is the case with some illegal immigrants.  But compassion for those illegals’ plight does not mitigate their breaking needed laws in entry.  Law is not the enemy and neither are immigrants in principle.  Most countries protect their borders as a service to their citizenry within.  It’s the reality of sovereignty and must be honored.

I almost forgot this.  A few years ago, as a gift to my wife, I looked into hiring a maid for once-a-week cleaning.  A friend recommended a Hispanic woman that he praised as an excellent, thorough cleaner.  I asked him how he paid her, specifically whether I needed to provide her with any kind of document for her taxes.  His face changed.  He didn’t know if she was paying taxes or not, and had not asked her as her English was limited.  We consulted an accountant and asked a friend at our church fluent in Spanish to inquire with her about it.  He discovered she and her husband were illegals.  Knowing this, it was only right for my friend to discontinue her services as their maid and for me not to hire her either.

There’s a difference—a border, if you will—between treating someone like a person and like a citizen.  If that maid or other illegals came to our home or church needing food or clothes we’d give it because we’ll treat them as people every time, regardless of their status.  But we cannot treat them as citizens when they are not.

How should religious leaders and people of faith respond to people (especially the poor) who come to America either legally or illegally?

Few people will argue against the need to secure our boarders and to reduce and even eliminate the number of undocumented immigrants from coming into our country. This is a responsibility that our federally elected officials need to take seriously and enact and or enforce laws which will accomplish this purpose.

The challenge that is before us now is a daunting one. We cannot simply punish those who are here but we must act with love and compassion. On June 10, 2011, the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, issued in part, this statement regarding the challenge of immigration.

“The bedrock moral issue for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is how we treat each other as children of God.

The history of mass expulsion or mistreatment of individuals or families is cause for concern especially where race, culture, or religion are involved.  This should give pause to any policy that contemplates targeting any one group, particularly if that group comes mostly from one heritage.

As those on all sides of the immigration debate in the United States have noted, this issue is one that must ultimately be resolved by the federal government.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concerned that any state legislation that only contains enforcement provisions is likely to fall short of the high moral standard of treating each other as children of God.

The Church supports an approach where undocumented immigrants are allowed to square themselves with the law and continue to work without this necessarily leading to citizenship.

In furtherance of needed immigration reform in the United States, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supports a balanced and civil approach to a challenging problem, fully consistent with its tradition of compassion, its reverence for family, and its commitment to law.”

The scriptures are replete with examples of the Savior of the World showing kindness and compassion to Jew and Gentile alike. We have only to reflect upon the first two great commandments to understand how we should act towards undocumented immigrants who are currently in our great country. It is up to each of us to ask that simple question; “What Would Jesus Do?” and then act in accordance with that conviction.