More Than Just The News
Immigration
FIRST-PERSON:
Immigration crisis requires biblical response
By Richard Land
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The immigration crisis in the United States is a huge
issue, impacting tens of millions of people in many different ways. How do we
approach this problem? First, we have to identify “we.” When I speak of “we,” I
am referring to Southern Baptists and other evangelical Christians who are
American citizens. As such, we have responsibilities in two realms: as citizens
of the nation and as citizens of the heavenly Kingdom (Philippians 3:20; Titus
2:14; 1 Peter 2:9).
As citizens of the United States, we have an obligation to support the
government and the government’s laws for conscience’ sake (Romans 13:7). We also
have a right to expect the government to fulfill its divinely ordained mandate
to punish those who break the laws and reward those who do not (Romans 13:1-7).
As citizens of the Lord’s heavenly Kingdom and members of local colonies of that
Kingdom (congregations of Christians), we also have a divine mandate to act
redemptively and compassionately toward those who are in need. Jesus commanded
us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) and to do unto others as
we would have them do unto us (Matthew 7:12). How do these twin divine mandates
apply to the immigration crisis facing our nation?
First, as citizens of the nation, we have a right to expect the federal
government to enforce the laws regarding who may cross our borders. Border
security is a question of national sovereignty, national security and the
government fulfilling its divinely mandated responsibility to enforce the law.
Any successful consensus on how to address the immigration crisis must be built
on the foundation of the federal government convincing the American people that
it is willing to commit whatever resources are necessary to secure our borders.
This does not mean closing the borders, but having effective control over who
comes in, who goes out, and who they are.
The federal government’s disgraceful failure to fulfill its responsibility in
this area, during both Democratic and Republican administrations, has caused
severe consternation among a sizable constituency of Americans and has led to
the immigration crisis we face. There are at least 12 million people living and
working in our country who have come here illegally, and our federal government
has no idea who they are and how long they have been here.
In addition to not controlling our borders, the federal government has failed in
its responsibility to enforce the laws within the country by not cracking down
on businesses that employ illegal workers and by not enforcing immigration laws
internally.
Americans know the federal government is quite capable of enforcing laws that it
truly wishes to enforce -- the Internal Revenue Service comes to mind. The
government is clearly culpable for not having the will to dedicate sufficient
resources to enforce its laws at our borders or within the 50 states. That must
change.
Some will ask, "Why not just insist that all of the more than 12 million illegal
immigrants go home?" The simple answer is that there is neither the political
nor economic will in the U.S. population for forcibly rounding up 12 million
people -- many of them who have children who are America citizens -- and
shipping them back to their country of origin. Politics and public policy are
the “art of the possible.” The reality is that the United States is not going to
deport 12 million people, whether you think we should or not.
Once the federal government has convinced the American people that it has the
will and is committing the resources necessary to enforce its laws, then I
believe a consensus can be built and will form around some type of
“guest-worker” program that would address the question of the illegal immigrants
who are already in the United States.
What would the contours of such a program look like? First, it must not involve
any type of “amnesty” that would just forgive the illegal entry of people. It
would recognize that these people did break the law in order to come here and
work. Most of them have been hard-working, law-abiding residents since their
arrival.
Such a “guest-worker” program would, in effect, say to those who are here
illegally: You have a one-time opportunity of six months to come forward and
apply for a “guest-worker” status, agree to undergo a criminal background check
and agree to learn English. If such workers could demonstrate that they have
been employed, and have not broken the law since or before their illegal entry,
they could pay a fine and agree to pay any back taxes owed. After a certain
number of years -- depending on how long they have already been here -- they
could apply for permanent resident status.
For example, if someone had been here 10 years, they might be on probationary
“guest-worker” status for five years. Someone who had been here five years would
have a “guest-worker” status for six years.
Such a proposed “guest-worker” program would also give employers a six-month
window to come forward, pay a fine and come clean for past offenses. At the end
of the proposed six-month period, the government then would tell illegal
immigrants and their employers that if they haven’t come forward and availed
themselves of this generous and compassionate offer, “The government will find
you and if you’re here illegally, deport you and if you are a business, fine you
in significant ways, and perhaps prosecute you criminally.”
Also, since the government shouldn’t reward illegal activity, it should
establish an expanded “guest-worker” program for people not currently in the
country, but who would like to come to the United States to work. The government
could establish such a program with a ceiling of, perhaps 350,000 people a year
who could come to fill jobs that have been advertised in the United States by
American employers for an adequate length of time and for which they have not
been able to find employees domestically. These new “guest workers” would also
have to agree to a background check and to learn English. Under such a proposed
program, they could apply for permanent resident status at the end of four
years, a shorter period than illegal immigrants would face for such status. In
other words, those who have come here illegally go to the back of line behind
those who come here legally. I believe most American would perceive such a
program as a fair and practical way to deal with the over
12 million illegal immigrants currently in the country.
Coming forward and receiving recognized “guest-worker” status would have several
advantages both for the workers and for the nation.
First, it would give the “guest workers” protection against exploitation by
employers and by others in society who prey on them as vulnerable and legally
defenseless.
Second, it would allow such workers to go home and visit their families in their
country of origin and then return to their jobs in the United States. When you
take the time to talk to illegal immigrants, you find there is a significant
minority who do not wish to remain in the United States permanently or bring
their families here. These individuals would welcome the opportunity to be
“guest workers,” able to send money home to, and visit their families in, their
home countries without fear of not being able to get back into the United
States.
Third, greatly expanding the program for new “guest workers” would make the job
of border enforcement easier. If immigrants have a meaningful, legal pathway to
cross the border, there will be less temptation to enter illegally and less
opportunity to remain here illegally, and the number of people attempting
illegal entry would drop.
I believe a majority of Americans would support such a dual program that would
constitute real border enforcement, coupled with a fair and compassionate way to
address the crisis of the 12 million illegal immigrants already here.
Now, what about our responsibilities as citizens of the heavenly Kingdom?
Christians have a divine mandate to care for those in need and to give a cup of
cold water in Jesus’ name (Matthew 10:42). The story of the Good Samaritan also
informs our spiritual obligation to reach out to those in need of assistance
(Luke 10:30-37). Our government should not criminalize private citizens who give
a cup of cold water, a hot meal, a warm bed or medical assistance to those who
are in our country illegally. The legislation by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R.-Wis.,
must be amended to carve out an exemption for charitable and Christian activity
toward all people.
Christian churches should be reaching out to meet the physical, emotional and
spiritual needs of these “guest workers,” old and new. While the government must
insist on the enforcement of the law and a probationary period and fines for
those who have broken the law, Christians are mandated to forgive and to act
redemptively within their communities toward all people, including illegal
immigrants. Churches should start classes on a massive scale to help
illegal-immigrants-turned-“guest-workers” learn English and help them acclimate
to life in the United States.
Finally, a word to those who are here illegally or who wish to come as legal
immigrants in the future. We are a nation of immigrants. Unless you are Native
American, we all are immigrants, or the descendents of immigrants, and while all
of our immigrant ancestors were proud of their heritage in their country of
origin, they came to this country to become Americans. In reality, we are a
nation of settlers, who came to “settle” in a new country. While society has
days upon which Irish-Americans, Italian-Americans, Polish-Americans, and
Anglo-Americans pay homage to their ancestors, these groups put their emphasis
on the American part of the hyphenated term. If you are coming here to start a
new life in a new country, the United States, rather than just coming here for a
sojourn as a “guest worker” planning to return home someday, let’s display more
American flags and a lot fewer flags of your country of origin. In other words,
if you came here to start a new life in a new count
ry, then put the emphasis on the American half of Hispanic-American, for
example, and you are welcome.
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Richard Land is president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty
Commission.