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Posted by: David Bunch

I've actually become over-saturated with the immigration debate to the point of closing my mind to it. I can't find a logical answer and at times I feel torn between steadfast citizenship and Christian compassion. I've wondered what the proper Christian perspective on this issue is. I still don't have an answer and haven't full developed an opinion, but this editorial by a World Relief worker gives an interesting perspective from the Scriptures. She also does a great job of explaining both sides of the issue and why it has become so divisive.

Christians have been torn on this issue, as key leaders in the Roman Catholic Church and evangelical organizations such as World Relief have taken a stand for comprehensive immigration reform that emphasizes basic rights for immigrants everywhere and support a responsible guest worker program, reforms in the family-based immigration system to reduce waiting times for separated families, earned citizenship for individuals already living and contributing in the US and humanitarian border protection policies. Meanwhile, the evangelical speaker of the house, Dennis Hastert, represents the perspective of many other Christians by strongly backing border control and protection, and the elimination of illegal immigrants, both current and future.

It is important that we explore God’s word on this matter and consider Jesus’ words: “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me” (Matthew 25:40). In our society today, it is the immigrant population, both legal and illegal, that falls into this category. We are called to love our neighbors, and providing basic civil and humanitarian rights to the aliens within our borders is one practical way to do that. I go to work every day to fulfill God’s command, which says, “[t]he alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34). As believers, we are responsible to represent Christ’s love, which will happen not by closing our borders and hiding from the world, but by extending compassion to all members of our global community.