Immigration Reform

As the issue of immigration again makes its way to the political forefront, it is important for us to be reminded of what our faith requires. If we consider ourselves to be true followers of Christ, then our views and actions should be reflective of those of Christ himself.

“When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord you God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

Here is a statement from Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform that is a good summary of the biblical principles involved:

• We believe all people, regardless of national origin or citizenship status, are made in the "image of God" and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6).
• We believe there is an undeniable responsibility to love and show compassion for the stranger among us (Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Leviticus 19:33-34, Matthew 25:31-46).
• We believe that immigrants are our neighbors, both literally and figuratively, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves and show mercy to neighbors in need (Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:25-37).
• We believe in the rule of law, but we also believe that we are to oppose unjust laws and systems that harm and oppress people made in God's image, especially the vulnerable (Isaiah 10:1-4, Jeremiah 7:1-7, Acts 5:29, Romans 13:1-7).

May we work together for a fair and just solution to the broken U.S. immigration system currently in place as we try to truly put our Christian faith into action.