By Gayla Cooper Congdon and Erin Illingworth
As a resident of an international border city, I encounter immigration issues on a regular basis. Every time I drive down Interstate 805 to my office in San Ysidro, California, a warning sign reminds me to watch out for people running across the freeway. That sign is there to protect those who cross the border on foot and are in danger of being hit by cars.
Each time I travel to our camp in Mexico near the border towns of Tijuana and Tecate, I see a fence that was constructed to keep people from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. When you look closely at the fence, you can see holes have been dug to tunnel under it, which renders this barrier ineffective.
Immigration is an issue that deeply divides Americans, including the Christian community. We have biblical stories of immigration throughout the Bible, and yet even with God”s concern for the migrant and the outcast, we can”t seem to agree on an appropriate response.
Wrestling with the Issue
According to Sojourners (www.sojo.net), in December 2006 a group of Christians representing the diverse political and theological landscape in the U.S. came together in support of comprehensive immigration legislation. Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CCIR) has developed a tool kit for Christian education and action on this topic.
CCIR”s Statement of Shared Principles offers something to think about when wrestling with a Christian response to immigration:
“¢ We believe that all people, regardless of national origin are made in the “image of God” and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect (Genesis 1:26, 27).
“¢ We believe there is an undeniable biblical responsibility to love and show compassion for the stranger among us (Leviticus 19:33, 34).
“¢ 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 (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 (Romans 13:1-7).
“”http://sojo.net/get-involved/campaigns/christians-immigration-reform
CCIR”s statement goes on to say, “The current U.S. immigration system is broken, and now is the time for a fair and compassionate solution. We think it is entirely possible to protect our borders while establishing a viable, humane, and realistic immigration system, one that is consistent with our American values and increases national security while protecting the livelihood of Americans.”
Questions for Christians
With what CCIR has put forth for us to consider, why is this a difficult issue to resolve? At its general conference in 1996, the Evangelical Free Church of America adopted a resolution it called a Christian perspective on immigration.
In that resolution, EFCA addressed some falsehoods that have arisen surrounding immigration; EFCA”s desire was to help others make informed decisions. In A Stranger at our Gates: A Christian Perspective on Immigration Reform, EFCA asks the following questions:
To what extent are our attitudes towards immigration shaped by racism?
To what extent are our attitudes towards immigrants shaped by materialism?
Is the fear of running out of limited resources justifiable?
Are some groups of people not deemed worthy to receive minimal services we consider essential for a very basic level of human existence?
What about immigration policy? To what extent are we responsible for the living conditions in other countries that motivate people to emigrate?
These five questions are a good starting place for any Christian discussion of immigration.
Is Racism an Issue?
In 2009, I began a tour of churches that were asking me to address safety concerns about traveling to Mexico. As I sat at a table with staff from one particular church, a man looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I hate Mexico and I hate Mexicans.”
At another church, I sat at a booth signing up folks for a trip to Mexico when a young adult walked past me and said, “You will never get me to go to that godforsaken place, ever!”
When I receive such comments, I try my best not to respond in a manner that is unproductive or unchristian. And yet such things are extremely hurtful for me to hear, and my natural impulse is to say something hurtful back.
We need to be honest””racism sometimes is a factor in our attitudes. This may result from a negative experience with someone of a race or culture different than our own, leading us to develop a stereotype of anyone from that race or culture. It may result from how we were raised or even from peer pressure.
Whatever the reason, this racist attitude is not a biblical response and is definitely not a Christlike attitude toward others. It is important to realize our mind-set when we think of immigrants living among us, and to treat them the same way Jesus did when he intentionally encountered non-Jews. May we be ever mindful that all of us have a legacy as immigrants.
Since starting Amor Ministries in 1980, my husband, Scott, and I have been asked by Christians many times why we are building homes in Mexico when there are so many needs here in the United States. Truthfully, it is not an either/or question for us.
We made a conscious decision to live in City Heights””the most racially mixed neighborhood of immigrants in San Diego, California. Our commitment is to live out locally what we are living out globally.
As for the church, we need to respond in-kind. It cannot be “either/or.” Psalm 50 tells us God owns the “cattle on a thousand hills,” so we must remember that through us he can meet the needs of our own local body as well as the body of Christ all over the world. If that doesn”t happen, it is a commentary about us and not God.
This question of helping at home or abroad may reflect an attitude shaped by our fear of running out of personal resources, and also our materialism. Some American Christians believe we deserve material blessings. We can be like the little kid who doesn”t want to share. Jesus encountered the same problem when he asked people to share their blessings.
All of this factors into our immigration response. It is why we need to dialogue and evaluate our personal beliefs and their impact on how they affect the attitudes of the whole church. Too often the church operates with nonbiblical principles. Matthew 25:31-46 speaks to the consequences for those who deny minimal goods and services considered essential for basic human existence.
In its resolution, EFCA asked these two questions: “Are we being overly possessive of our lifestyle or standard of living?” and “Are we more concerned with the pursuit of affluence than meeting the basic human needs of all human beings?” These questions are valid in light of the immigration challenges we face as a nation, especially, I believe, if we want to continue to call ourselves a Christian nation.
Where Is Our Responsibility?
EFCA”s final question asks us to consider what responsibility we have for the living conditions in countries that motivate people to emigrate. Scott and I started Amor Ministries because we realized our responsibility. That is why we have built houses in Mexico since 1985.
People have told me how grateful they are for the work we do because it keeps Mexicans in Mexico. I do not always know what prompts such comments, but I am proud to say we build homes to keep families together!
We recently built a house for a family whose father was contemplating crossing over to the U.S. illegally to get a job to provide for his family. This is an example of why Scott and I have made it our life”s work to give families the opportunity to stay together.
Most Mexicans love their country and don”t want to emigrate unless they are forced to in order to provide for their family. Ask yourself this: If I couldn”t get a job to feed my family in the United States, but I could in Canada, would I try to emigrate to Canada even if I had to cross the border illegally?
Immigration is a complex issue. The United States historically is a nation of immigrants that has allowed itself to be shaped by those coming to our shores. Immigrants bring with them a richness of diverse cultures, perspectives, and resources.
I believe we should look to Isaiah 1:18 for how to resolve the complexities of immigration: “”˜Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord” (New International Version, ©1984).
Gayla Congdon founded Amor Ministries in 1980 with her husband, Scott. Erin Illingworth is public relations coordinator for Amor.
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