What’s the Plan?

Hi there!  Welcome to my blog!  I’m so glad that you were able to make it to this site and read what I have to say about things.  In my Biblical Heritage and Contemporary Christian Ethics class at Baylor University, we were charged with the task of taking a book that has some connection to our major and analyzing some of the ethical principles and dilemmas which it brings up.  As a social work major and Spanish minor, I felt as though I had a multitude of options to choose from.  In an effort to research something both relevant and something that I feel passionately about, I chose to look at immigration issues in the United States.  In this research, I stumbled upon the book, Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration by Ben Daniel.  That’s quite the loaded title, right?  People tend to hold fairly strong opinions when considering such large issues as this one, so I hope to approach the topics as fairly, and with as much grace as possible.  Though I will be sharing my own perspectives about this hot-button issue, I hope that this blog can function more as a dialogue which can promote human connection and empathy.  Thank you for joining me on this journey!

With love,

Kat

An Interview with a Congressman: The Beauty in Listening

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with a U.S. Congressman from Texas, Bill Flores and discuss what it meant to be an active, considerate citizen and a Christian, and how to respond to the issues surrounding immigration in the United States.  The majority of our conversation was directed towards policy and his beliefs surrounding that.  We also discussed to some extent his Christian faith background which has influenced the ways he views people.  The most influential pieces of this interview, though, came from a side conversation that ensued between the two of us:

“When I was elected back in 2010, I don’t think I had a real good understanding of the issue, and so there’s a lady here…who introduced me to some dreamers and after I understood more about them and how they got here, the challenges that they faced, it actually changed my position on the issue.” 

Later on in the interview, we spent a bit discussing how much of a difference it would make if, rather than just “shooting arrows at each other”, we actually learned to sit down and have honest, open conversations.  The biggest challenging immigration policy and its future in the United States is that there are some people who advocate for the deportation of all illegal immigrants and there are others who believe that all borders should be dissolved and people all be allowed in the United States.  Amongst these polarized views, there is little listening done to the other side of the issue.  And this is why we have encountered such challenges in creating comprehensive, positive reform to American immigration laws.  Ben Daniel even notes this in his book which has sparked this blog.  He says, “As we’ve seen, the best way to understand immigrants’ situations is to listen to their stories” (83).

So, this is what I propose as the most important first step for anyone who reads this:

Find someone who may believe something different than yourself – and listen.

Listen.  No agenda.  No rebuttals.  No judgement. Just honesty.  Openness.  Listening.

In our heated debates and struggles with issues like this one, we too quickly forget one another’s humanity.  We forget that everyone has a past, a present, and a future.  We all have fears, hopes, dreams.  The things that make us human, both the painful and the joyful, are shared across political lines.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”  -James 1:19

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  -Hebrews 10:24-25 

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”  -Romans 12:4-5

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”  -Psalm 133:1

There are a plethora of other verses in scripture similar to these four.  If we are to act as Christians and honestly live in authentic Christian community, then our foundations must look much different than they do today.  Do we want to see change in immigration policy?  Well, we need to learn how to listen better.  The problems I have discussed in this blog are known as “wicked problems”.  There is no easy answer.  There is no quick solution.  All we have to begin to address the problems with United States policy and society is our ability and willingness to listen to others well.

In the end of his book, Ben Daniel spends a significant amount of time sharing some of the stories that he has collected from various immigrants, both those who have entered the United States legally and illegally.  In this discussion, he cites their struggles, victories, and everything in between.  I believe that Ben Daniel serves as a strong example for all of us.  He has demonstrated what it means to truly love your neighbor by getting to know them on a personal basis.  By hearing their stories, along with the perspectives of people all over the political spectrum, he has finally been able to create a personal stance on the issue of immigration.  But not only this, but he has still demonstrated a continual willingness throughout the entire text to listening.

So now, I leave you with this, faithful blog reader:  Listen well.  You will not find all the answers to the biggest problems of immigration on this blog.  Or on 100 of these blogs.  Or from your congressman.  Or from the news.  The only way we can change our society for the better is if we do it together.  Unified.  This is my prayer.  May it be yours as well.

 

With love,

Kat

 

The Great American Melting Pot?

Schoolhouse Rock was my jam.  Honestly, it still is.  How else would I have learned what an adjective versus a noun is?  Or the process for a bill to become a law?  One of the most iconic songs from this nostalgic program, though, is “The Great American Melting Pot”.  Some of the lyrics to this song go:

America was founded by the English,
But also by the Germans, Dutch, and French.
The principle still sticks;
Our heritage is mixed.
So any kid could be the president.

You simply melt right in,
It doesn’t matter what your skin.
It doesn’t matter where you’re from,
Or your religion, you jump right in
To the great American melting pot.
The great American melting pot.
Ooh, what a stew, red, white, and blue

The trouble, though, is that America maybe shouldn’t just be a “melting pot”.  Think about it.  What happens when you make a bowl of stew?  There are a whole bunch of different ingredients, but they all tend to take on the flavor of the most dominant ingredient.  What this means for the “great American melting pot” is that a person (ingredient) is welcome, only as long as they are willing to take on the most dominant flavor of the culture.

“If you don’t learn English, get out”

“Take of that head scarf, you look like a terrorist”

“Quit stealing our jobs”

Our “inclusive” stew seems to be taking on more and more stipulations.  You can come in…but only if you: 1) look like us  2) talk like us  3) think like us  4) act like us.  But who is “us”?  Who gets to say what is and is not acceptable in the United States?  Who gets to decide who’s in and who’s out?  Those with the power.  That’s who.  In the United States, that means white, male, able-bodied, straight, educated Christians.  What about the rest of us?  Simple – blend into the stew.  Take on our flavoring, abandon your own, and join the melting pot.  Sorry, this doesn’t sound as cheerful and glamorous as Schoolhouse rock makes it out to be.

So then what should it be?

Well, I propose that Schoolhouse Rock write a new song about the “Great American Mosaic”.  Think about it – while melting pots basically have one flavor for everything, mosaics are made up of many thousands of distinct pieces of glass.  Every piece is different.  It may have some similarities to the pieces around it, it may look very different.  BUT these pieces are all strategically placed together to form a beautiful image.  If just one of those pieces are missing, then the mosaic is no longer complete and the image is lacking.  In my opinion, this is the way we should be viewing the members of our country in regards to diversity.  Side note: I have also heard “salad” as an acceptable alternative, but I don’t really like salads sooooo…

What does this have to do with the Bible?

WOW I’m so glad you asked!  First, let’s look at 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.  Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

In this piece of scripture, Paul is discussing the value of each part of the body of Christ, the Church.  In the big-C Church and also in each individual church, each member is to be seen with the utmost value and importance.  Similarly, though not every members can perform the same functions, what good would it be if we all did the same thing anyways?  We’re not all the same, but we are sure as h*ck unified, or at least we should be.  To me, this almost feels like God is appealing to the mosaic model, as well.  Not every member of the piece looks the same, but they each are equally valuable in creating the beautiful work of art in the end.

So immigration?

Well, I believe that immigrants into the United States, no matter what the language, ethnicity, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or whatever, have a purpose in the beautiful mosaic of this country.  The American mentality of fear has no place in this image.  They are only fearing the possibility of a diverse future.  In describing his neighborhood, or “barrio”, Ben Daniel describes the possibility it embodies.  He says, “This is my neighborhood, and this is the America we are helping to build when we provide sanctuary for God’s children whose well-being is threatened by America’s misguided immigration policies.  It’s full of immigrants like my neighbor and my daughters.  There’s nothing to dear.  If this is America’s future, we could do a whole lot worse.” (150).  As members of a beautiful, diverse nation, we need to realize that these people are a piece of the image.  If we all looked, talked, and acted exactly the same, there would be no image to create.  But I believe that God has bigger plans.  We should join Him.

 

Works Consulted:

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

School House Rock Live. (n.d.). The Great American Melting Pot! Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEBgytLLwac

9/11 Changed Things

“What were you doing on 9/11?”

This seems to be the question of the age.  September 11, 2001 has been burned on the mind of every American who was alive at the time.  Though I was very young when this historic event occurred, it still holds a prominent place in my memory.  I remember my parents trying to keep me in the other room so that I couldn’t watch the news on the tv.  I remember seeing the names and ages of the victims and noting that there were kids the same age as myself.  I remember the American flags everywhere.  But more than anything else, I remember the fear that followed.

Since September 11th, the United States has entered a new era – an era of fear, mistrust, ignorance, and demonization.  The generation which followed 9/11 has spent their entire lives being inundated with news updates in the palms of their hands.  News updates on their iPhones about the next school shooting, a predator from Stanford who walked away from his crimes nearly unscathed, another school shooting, violence, heartache, more violence, all have characterized the lives of the newest generations.  It’s no wonder that anxiety and depression are dramatically on the rise.

One piece of this anxiety that we have forgotten to discuss, however, is known as the “other”.  In each of these news articles or Facebook videos or Snapchats, a face is attached.  And more often than not, that face is a person of color.  You see, Americans have gotten very good at being hateful.  Buber describes a principle known as “I & Thou” versus “I & It”.  Following 9/11 especially, Americans have begun to ascribe other humans the title of “It” rather than “Thou”.  According to the Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “The “I-Thou” relation is the pure encounter of one whole unique entity with another in such a way that the other is known without being subsumed under a universal. Not yet subject to  classification or limitation, the “Thou” is not reducible to spatial or temporal characteristics. In contrast to this the “I-It” relation is driven by categories of “same” and “different” and focuses on universal definition. An “I-It” relation experiences a detached thing, fixed in space and time, while an “I-Thou” relation participates in the dynamic, living process of an “other”.”

So, who is the “It”?

Well, statistically, those who look “different” than the majority population receive the vast majority of hate crimes in the United States, according to the FBI.  9/11 gave Americans practice in this demonization of minority races.  Since Trump’s presidency, though, this hatefulness has shifted itself, not only to those who wear a hijab and practice Islam, but towards those who have brown skin and speak Spanish as their first language.  Hate towards anyone perceived as an immigrant from Mexico or other Spanish speaking countries in South/Central America has been dramatically on the rise.  Why, then, are we so surprised to see a country full of people living in fear and in the shadows?  As Americans, we have not treated our brother as a “Thou”, instead seeing him as an “It”.  As Christians, we have followed the ways of our world and have done the same.  Ben Daniel states that, “Much of our current American response to what often is called an immigration crisis is rooted in the same fear that has inspired America’s long history of unjust immigration law.  Throughout our history, the demonized immigrant groups have changed (the Irish, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Italians), but the fear has remained constant.” (149).

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:2

Frankly, our treatment of immigrants as the “other” is entirely opposed to the character of God as described in the Bible.  It appears to be simply our own decision to follow what the world says we should believe about immigrants and those who have a skin color different than white.  Romans 12, though, pushes against this temptation to follow what the world says, instead living in an eternal kingdom that is to come.  Christians are to be committed to a lifestyle which is characterized by liberation, justice for the oppressed, and love for our neighbor.  9/11 hurt.  A lot.  But Christians are not to allow this hurt to keep them from living out this kingdom of God here and now.

“From the viewpoint of faith, the motive which in the last instance moves Christians to participate in the liberation of oppressed peoples and exploited social classes is the conviction of the radical incompatibility of evangelical demands with an unjust, alienating society.  They feel keenly that they cannot claim to be Christians without a commitment to liberation.  But the articulation of the way in which this action for a more just world is related to a life of faith belongs to a level of intuition and groping – at times in anguish.” – Gustavo Gutiérrez (Neighbor: Christian Encounters with Illegal Immigration”)

 

Works Consulted:

2015 Hate Crime Statistics Released. (n.d.). [Story]. Retrieved April 8, 2018, from https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2015-hate-crime-statistics-released

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

For 80 Years, Young Americans Have Been Getting More Anxious and Depressed. (2016, March 14). Retrieved April 8, 2018, from https://www.thecut.com/2016/03/for-80-years-young-americans-have-been-getting-more-anxious-and-depressed.html

NW, 1615 L. St, Washington, S. 800, & Inquiries, D. 20036 U.-419-4300 | M.-419-4349 | F.-419-4372 | M. (2016, November 21). Anti-Muslim assaults at highest level since 2001. Retrieved April 8, 2018, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/21/anti-muslim-assaults-reach-911-era-levels-fbi-data-show/ft_16-11-21_muslimhatecrimes/

results, search. (2010). I and Thou (60196th edition). Mansfield Centre, CT: Martino Publishing.

In the Words the Great Steven Tyler, “Dream On”

Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

The Dream Act was first introduced in 2001 in order to provide a pathway towards legal citizenship for individuals who came to the United States illegally as children.  Now, the U.S. Government is on a mission to figure out what to do with the dreamers.  There is an entire generation of children who have grown up in the United States, yet are not citizens.  What are we to do about this?  Do we send a group of people back to their countries of origin, in which they have no ties or memories?  Do we give them citizenship?  Essentially this debate begs the question:

Do we force a generation of children to pay for the sins of their parents?

This may come as a surprise, especially if you have read any of my previous blog posts, but the Bible actually has something to say to this.  (p.s. I’m kidding about the surprise, for all of my sarcastically-challenged friends).  In the book of Numbers, God has delivered the Israelite people, His beloved, from slavery in Egypt.  Though God has provided a number of miracles for their journey, including giving water from rocks and manna from the sky, the Israelites have begun to grumble.  And not just grumble.  They began to make statements about how they don’t need God.  That they were better off in slavery.  In response to the unfaithfulness of the Israelites…

“The LORD’s anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.” -Numbers 32:13

While the Lord was still faithful in the wilderness to the Israelites, the generation of people who had sinned were still punished.  God did not, however, punish the younger generation.  In fact, it was that younger generation that was finally able to enter the promised land.  Instead of doubting God’s power and faithfulness, this generation of Israelites chose to trust.  They believed that, with God, all things were possible.  This possibility included entering the land which was promised to them years before.

Now, there are a few pieces of this analogy I would like to address:

First, I am not stating whether or not adults who have entered the United States illegally need to be punished.  Frankly, I am still wrestling with this concept.  Exploring that question is a significant reason for my writing this blog – not to say that I know the answers, but to say I’m actively trying to find them.  For the purpose of this particular post, though, we can say that they were in fact sinning and can be punished.  We can compare these adults to those who first left Egypt in search of God’s promised land.

Next, I feel uncomfortable with the stereotypic pridefulness connected with comparing the United States with the promised land.  Despite the many ills found in American society, however, the possibility offered within the “American Dream” is more promising than many other countries in the world.  Poverty and violence have characterized many places in the world, causing people to flee to a potentially better, safer place.

Okay.  Now that I have said those two things, we can resume this conversation.

This morning, President Donald Trump stated (tweeted) that DACA is “dead”, saying that we “must build Wall and secure our borders with proper Border legislation”.  This statement will affect nearly 800,000 children living in the United States without legal status.  These children came to the United States, grew up here, went through the education system, learned english, and worked hard.  They did so, however, without paperwork.  They lived in fear.  Their parents lived in fear.  Sometimes, their parents were even deported, separating their family.  Economically, it makes the most sense for the United States to provide these children with citizenship, as they can then be taxed and provide funding to the government.  Socially, these are typically not the “criminals” the media paints them to be.  Their parents, however, sinned in bringing them to the United States illegally.  Should these kids pay for it?

When considering the state of struggle faced by these people, the book Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration speaks, stating, “Who is more disenfranchised than an immigrant kid whose parents are undocumented?” (137).  As a Christian, I feel called to care for and love the disenfranchised, the marginalized, and the least of these.  This includes the kids who have spent their lives in fear of deportation.  We must not ignore them.

Works Consulted:

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

Joshua 1–24: The Entry into the Promised Land. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2018, from https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-student-manual-genesis-2-samuel/joshua-1-24-the-entry-into-the-promised-land?lang=eng

Schallhorn, K. (2018, April 2). What is DACA and what does the Trump administration want to do with it? [Text.Article]. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/04/02/what-is-daca-and-what-does-trump-administration-want-to-do-with-it.html

Sullivan, E. (2018, April 2). Trump Says DACA Is “Dead,” and Calls on Mexico to Enforce Border Security. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/us/politics/trump-immigration-mexico-daca.html

Trump, D. J. (2018, April 2). DACA is dead because the Democrats didn’t care or act, and now everyone wants to get onto the DACA bandwagon… No longer works. Must build Wall and secure our borders with proper Border legislation. Democrats want No Borders, hence drugs and crime! [Tweet]. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980766121983987712

“Immigration Detention Facility” AKA Prison

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution became one of the most important, and yet most controversial and problematic actions ever taken by the United States government.  It completely uprooted the economic systems of the southern states.  It changed one of the most unfortunate pieces of United States history – but perhaps not for the better.  No, I am of course not advocating for the reinstating of slavery in the United States, but rather noting that slavery did not actually go away.  Rather, it took on a new form, a less obvious one, yet still similarly damaging to entire communities.  You see, what happened when this amendment was written, it was written with a loophole.  Slavery is entirely legal if it’s done as punishment for a crime.  It’s just not legal in the historical sense which we typically imagine.  When this loophole was created, the public image surrounding African Americans was changed to this idea of “criminal”.  People were arrested in droves for petty crimes so that they could remain enslaved.  Rhetoric deemed people of color to all be “criminals” and thus the agenda persisted.

Today, this term “criminal” often is still, unfortunately, applied to people of color, but has been extended to immigrants to the United States, especially from Hispanic descent.  The current American culture has been very much a “us-against-them” mentality, fueled by fear.  Because of a general lack of knowledge and genuine human connection, this fear is an effective tactic used by American leadership.  This rhetoric, however, is simply incorrect.  Organizations have set out to find the truth behind some of these popularly-circulated myths regarding undocumented immigration, and the results are often contradictory to the message presented to the American public by the president and the media.  In fact, the percentage of U.S. born individuals who are institutionalized is over 4x higher than those who are foreign born.  

Immigration Detention Facilities are Just Prisons

I made that font large because I wanted this point to be emphasized.  Immigration detention facilities in the United States are simply prisons with a specific purpose.  The prison system in the United States is designed to “break you within thirty days”.  It is these places that we decide to send men, women and children until it can be determined whether they should stay in the United States or go back to their home countries.  Often this return means returning to immense poverty or violence.  These individuals are brought to these places with deplorable conditions, only to then be forced to return to potentially even worse conditions.  I have gotten the opportunity to talk to individuals from Waco Immigrants Alliance about some of the things that they have observed in visiting the immigration detention facility in Austin, TX.  They noted that women in particular are treated very poorly by the guards and other members in the facilities.  Sexual assault is a painfully common occurrence.  Yet, these women cannot advocate for themselves since they are in prison, technically, and often don’t speak English.  It also costs a significant amount of money and connection in order to have a lawyer that can actually create some sort of changes for a person in this situation.

What does the Bible have to say about all of this?

Well, there are two verses in particular that I would like to unpack a little bit, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Hebrews 13:3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.

Both of these verses speak fairly explicitly about bringing freedom to the imprisoned.  Now, this freedom is typically interpreted in a figurative sense.  For example, the Bible speaks heavily about freedom from the bondage of sin.  Sin may or may not have caused there to be literal bondage holding you, but Jesus came for freedom from it.  This is the story of the gospel in a nutshell.  What struck me about these two verses in relation to this particular discussion, however, was in regards to the connection mandated by them. If the Lord has instructed us to go and bring good news to the poor (imprisoned, perhaps?), as it does in Isaiah 61, then it requires face time with them.  It requires connection.  Similarly, Hebrews 13, speaks to our connection to other humans by reminding us that we are all part of the same body of Christ.  Unity is proclaimed regularly throughout the scriptures, and this involves both until with other believers who look like you, speak the same language as you, and have the same country of origin, but those who have even been imprisoned for entering the United States illegally.

Well, what am I supposed to do?

I can’t just march down to Austin and open the doors to the immigration facilities and let everyone out.  

No, of course not.  I, however, believe that changes to our institutions will require first a change in the public belief and rhetoric.  We need to pursue compassion as though our lives depend on it…because there are people whose lives do depend on it.  Ben Daniel provides four very practical ideas for what one can do to pursue this passion while working with individuals who may be considered undocumented in the United States, or even imprisoned in his book, Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration.  I would like to end with these four steps quoted verbatim, because I think they are very powerful.  Let’s pursue compassion together, deal?

1. Many immigrants have stories to tell.  Listen to those stories and learn them by heart.
2. If you don’t have access to the stories of immigrants (or if you are too shy to ask), take stock of all the blessings  you enjoy – sufficient income, an overabundance of food, the safety of our homes, and the relative security of our jobs – and then imagine what it would be like to the things that keep you secure and make you feel safe.  then imagine a place where some of the good things in life can be restored to you, a place where you can get a job, where your kids can be educated, where health care is available, even if it isn’t always affordable.  Would you go?  What if the journey was hard, dangerous and illegal?  Would you still go, if it meant providing a better life for your children?
3. Learn the stories of your own family.  Why did they immigrate to the United States (provided you do not come from an American Indian family)?  What role did faith have in their decision to immigrate (provided their immigration was a choice), and how has faith sustained your family’s life in the United States?
4. Try reading the Bible imagining how it was understood by your immigrant ancestors or how it may be understood by your immigrant neighbors.

References:

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

DuVernay, A. (2016). 13th. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5895028/

Ten Economic Facts about Immigration | The Hamilton Project. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://www.hamiltonproject.org/papers/ten_economic_facts_about_immigration

Waco Immigrants Alliance. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://www.wacoia.org/

Waters Pour Through the Deserts

“Waters will pour through the deserts; streams will flow in godforsaken lands.  Burning sands and hardened wastelands will become pools, shimmering with life; the thirsty ground will drink deep from refreshing springs.  Abandoned villages where predators once lurked will become grassy playgrounds.  Dry, arid land will turn lush and green.  And the road to this happy renovation will be clearly signed.  People will declare the way itself to be holy—the route, “sacred.  Only those who are right with God will be able to walk its pleasant path, And nobody—no visitor, no dimwit—will get lost along it.” -Isaiah 35:6-8 (The VOICE)

A friend of mine posed a question to me recently that I found to be very interesting –

Is it okay or wrong for churches to leave water in the desert for those who are attempting to cross the border to drink?

My gut reaction to this was “Of course it’s okay!  Who would ever think otherwise?”, but as I considered it further, the question is essentially asking if it is justifiable for churches to ever break the laws of the lands in which they live.  Can humans ever justly break the law for a personal conviction?  If the answer is “yes”, then it is easy to argue a slippery slope.  If it’s okay to break one rule, who is to stop people or churches from committing more serious crimes?  This question posed a very interesting ethical dilemma for me.

Not surprisingly, many others have struggled with this same question – but in real practice.  There have been some churches that have felt it to be their duty to leave water stations in the desert so that individuals attempting to cross into the United States from South and Central America can survive without becoming too dehydrated.  Others have felt the need to strongly oppose this, as this act is technically a federal crime, as it assists and encourages illegal immigration into the United States.

“223 people were found dead each year along the border in Arizona alone.” (110)

For me, my wrestling with this ethical dilemma came until I read this quote in Daniel’s book, Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration.  I realized that there is an important distinction to be made between simply disregarding the law for your own benefit and in disregarding the law in order to help protect others’ lives.  This distinction completely changes the argument from which people may argue.  Yes, it is important to follow the law, but when the law contradicts a strict, externally created moral code, such as from a religion, then it is not entirely wrong to break the law.  This is only true if the purpose and result saves lives rather than harming them.

As a social work major, I have the benefit of being able to defer to the NASW’s (National Association of Social Workers) ethical principles and the hierarchy which as already been set in regards to ethical issues.  Despite my own convictions one way or another on an issue, my practice must first and foremost follow the NASW code of ethics.  On the top of this hierarchy of ethical principles is “protection of life”.  This means that above privacy, confidentiality, truthfulness, and full disclosure is the value of peoples’ lives.  By leaving jugs of water in the desert, people are stating that above their truthfulness to the government about following the law is the importance of saving and protecting lives.  Hundreds of people die from dehydration in the deserts as they attempt to cross the border.  According to my professional code of ethics, I must value human lives over all, despite its potential contradiction with the law of the land.

So, what does Christianity say about this?

“It is important that all of us submit to the authorities who have charge over us because God establishes all authority in heaven and on the earth.  Therefore, a person who rebels against authority rebels against the order He established, and people like that can expect to face certain judgment.  You see, if you do the right thing, you have nothing to be worried about from the rulers; but if you do what you know is wrong, the rulers will make sure you pay a price. Would you not rather live with a clear conscience than always have to be looking over your shoulder? Then keep doing what you know to be good and right, and they will publicly honor you.  Look at it this way: The ruler is a servant of God called to serve and benefit you. But he is also a servant of God executing wrath upon those who practice evil. If you do what is wrong, then you’d better be afraid because he wields the power of the sword and doesn’t make empty threats.”  -Romans 13:1-5 (The VOICE)

The Bible says that we, as Christians, need to follow the law of the land.  God has allowed leaders to be put into the positions they have been, and so we must respect this.  I want to make sure this is clear – this post and blog as a whole do not advocate for total anarchy.  Laws are important and should be followed.  My religion tells me that I must follow the law.  Simply, I believe that we are creating laws and statements without understanding the whole story.  Our policies and perspectives need to be more comprehensive and humanity-first.  In contrast to this passage in Romans, though, the Apostle Luke states in the book of Acts,

“If we have to choose between obedience to God and obedience to any human authority, then we must obey God.” -Acts 5:29 (The VOICE)

God’s authority supersedes human rule.  Therefore, if there is a law in the United States that acts in contradiction to God’s law and character, then Christians have an obligation to take the risk of following this law.  This is despite potential punishment that the Christian may receive from the government.  In my opinion, the law of God makes it clear that we are to serve those who are the outcasts, marginalized of society.  These marginalized members include individuals who have come to the United States illegally.  The Bible is also clear about the way that God cares for these people, and thus I should care for them as well.  Though it may possess a level of risk, I believe that the Bible encourages Christians to leave water in the desert for those crossing the border, rather than removing the water stations.  Though the law of the land may state otherwise, caring for people and helping to preserve their lives should be my first priority.  Finally, I believe that Christianity is a religion without borders.  To abandon my beliefs because the law of the land tells me to would be wrong, simply by the nature of the beliefs.  Religions act in a manner that keeps them from being bound by a particular time and space.  My care for others, therefore, must also not be bound by borders set by a government.  Christians have a responsibility to build bridges with others, not walls.

“Mending Wall” by Robert Frost

 

Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,

That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,

And spills the upper boulders in the sun;

And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.

To read the rest of this poem, go to: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44266/mending-wall

References:

Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 35:6-8 – The Voice. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2018, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+35%3A6-8&version=VOICE

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Boyle, S. W., Smith, L. L., Farley, O. W., Hull, G. H., & Mather, J. H. (2008). Direct Practice in Social Work (2 edition). Boston: Pearson.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

Foundation, P. (2018, February 12). Mending Wall by Robert Frost [text/html]. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44266/mending-wall

The Law Against Hiring or Harboring Illegal Aliens | Federation for American Immigration Reform. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2018, from https://fairus.org/issue/illegal-immigration/law-against-hiring-or-harboring-illegal-aliens

A Religion of Refugees

Let’s set the scene…

It is a cool night.  A young family has just received word that they are in danger.  Power-hungry men seek blood.  They must flee their home country.  Tired.  Alone.  Afraid.  They escape through the desert – barely.  Now, these new parents and their young son are foreigners in a strange land.  They are still tired.  Alone.  And afraid.  But they are trusting that God will lead them.  And so they go.

These parents were Mary and Joseph.  Their son was Jesus.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph was told in a dream that the violent king Herod would search for Jesus and intend to kill him for fear that his throne would be taken.  In the middle of the night Joseph and Mary took Jesus and escaped to Egypt and had to stay there until Herod had died.  The most famous character in all the Bible, perhaps all the world, was a refugee.  He was forced from his homeland and had to flee to a new place to save his own life.  The same is true of thousands of other characters in the Bible, both from the Old and New Testaments.

Christianity was a religion by and for refugees.

The popular narratives assigned to immigrants to the United States, especially from South and Central America, is that they are seeking the prosperity offered to them in the United States.  These individuals can’t get jobs in their home countries, so instead they move to the United States and take our jobs and endanger our citizens.  This is the narrative so often spoken in the media and from American leadership.  They want to leave their “sh*thole countries” and take part in the American dream.

Contrary to this popular belief, however, it seems the more likely scenario is that these individuals are refugees.  South and Central America have staggeringly high homicide rates.  The drug cartels have established themselves as the dominate power in the nation and now incite terror on its citizens.  El Salvador has become so extraordinarily violent even the Peace Corps has left for the safety of its employees.  To be frank, these people are not freeloaders or dangerous, as they are so often portrayed.  They are not coming to steal jobs.  They are coming to save their lives and their family members’ lives.  They are refugees.

“Comply, flee or die.”

“But interviews with migrants and their advocates suggest that families are fleeing — sometimes in groups of as many as 15 people — because they have no alternative. Gangs in certain communities in the Northern Triangle have become so merciless, and their control so widespread, that a family is often left with a stark choice: Comply, flee or die.” According to Perrine Leclerc, head of the field office for the United Nations refugee agency in Tapachula, “It’s really a refugee crisis”.  People have no choice in the matter.  In order to preserve their lives, they must take up the status as a refugee and attempt to find a new home elsewhere.

Trends in the United States do not match this current reality regarding the persecution millions of people worldwide are facing.  Trump has proposed that the United Sates cap its total refugee allowance at 45,000 over the next year.  This 45,000 must also consider those individuals living in other hellish, war-torn countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, and others.  United States policy appears to be turning a blind eye to the world and remaining unaware or unfazed by immense human suffering.

In Ben Daniel’s book, Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration”, which this blog is inspired by, he asks a series of interesting and important questions for an individual who claims to be a Christian.  He says, “might God look with favor upon the prayers of those who seek to enter the United States without permission?  Would God provide a patron saint to aid illegal immigrants in their journey to the United States?  Is it possible for heaven to look favorably upon those who break laws of the United States to find employment on U.S. soil?  Might divine protection extend to men and women, boys and girls, deemed to be illegal sojourners in the land of the free?” (9).

“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.” -Deuteronomy 10:18

May we do the same.

References:

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

Davis, J. H., & Jordan, M. (2017, September 26). Trump Plans 45,000 Limit on Refugees Admitted to U.S. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/us/politics/trump-plans-45000-limit-on-refugees-admitted-to-us.html

Parkinson, C. (2014, April 21). Latin America is World’s Most Violent Region: UN. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/latin-america-worlds-most-violent-region-un/

Semple, K. (2016, November 12). Fleeing Gangs, Central American Families Surge Toward U.S. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/13/world/americas/fleeing-gangs-central-american-families-surge-toward-us.html

People or Policy?

What does “illegal” look like?

This was the first question that came to mind when I learned about Arizona immigration law S.B. 1070.  S.B. 1070, titled “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” provided some of the most strict and powerful immigration policy found in the United States.  Law enforcement officers were given the ability to stop and arrest any persons whom they have “reasonable suspicion” of being an illegal immigrant in the state.  Off this suspicion, officers could question the legal status of any person.  Hearing this, though, caused me to ask, “What does ‘illegal’ look like?”.  The law provides officers the right to stop on reasonable suspicion.  Where does this suspicion originate, though?  How does one determine the legal status of an individual based off their appearance?

The answer is painfully simple.  Race.

Race and racism has been the seemingly endless topic on news outlets in the United States for the last number of years.  Division between people of color and white members of society is ever-present.  Living in St. Louis, Missouri in 2014 at the time of Michael Brown’s shooting and the subsequent protests gave me a front row seat this this division.  Unfortunately, race has been a significant piece of American history which majority members have elected to largely ignore.  We attempt to keep history in the past, neglecting to recognize the fact that we are still living in conditions like that.  American leadership speaks of the “good old days” as if they are something to be desired.  Unfortunately, these were really only the “good old days” if you were a heterosexual, white male.  I wrestled with whether or not to begin my blog with talking about race, but ultimately, this is a significant issue that must be tackled before moving onto any further implications regarding unlawful immigration into the United States, especially from a Christian perspective.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” -Galatians 3:28

The Bible speaks clearly about race.  Humanity is to pursue unity – oneness – with one another, regardless of our race, gender, religion, or otherwise.  In the discussion regarding race, the Christian perspective urges unity.  In John 17, Jesus prays that we would be “one” as he and The Father are one.  Through the pursuit of racial reconciliation, Christians have a unique opportunity to advance The Gospel in the world.  This unity is extended to immigrants.

Who is my neighbor?

Mark 12:30-31 commands Christians to love and pursue God and to love their neighbor as themselves.  This then begs the question, “Well, then who is my neighbor?”.  Is it the people on my street?  The people that go to college with me?  People across the world?  In  Ben Daniel’s book, Neighbor, this question is answered, stating that, “those who practice Christian hospitality by welcoming outsiders-not just as guests to be endured, but as neighbors, as true and valued members of the community-usually are blessed by those newcomers.”  Christians are called to bless all people as their neighbors.

When analyzing all the complexities of immigration, specifically immigration policy, people tend to forget – this isn’t just a policy issue, it’s a people issue.  By ignoring this reality, it’s a lot easier to alienate people.  It’s a lot easier to paint a picture of “rapists” who steal jobs.  A beautiful African Proverb once stated:

When I saw him from afar,
I thought he was a monster.

When he got closer,
I thought he was just an animal.

When he got closer,
I recognized that he was a human.

When we were face to face,
I realized that he was my brother.

When creating policy, we must first recognize one another’s humanity – our brotherhood.  In looking at S.B. 1070, it seems to me that humanity was ignored.  By painting individuals who may look different from the majority as the “other”, policy comes dangerously close to forgetting this shared humanity.  To ever have a truly ethical conversation regarding immigration policy in the United States, we must first have conversations about race and humanness.

I pray that we may be unified in our humanity.

 

 

References:

Arizona Immigration Law (S.B. 1070). (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from http://immigration.findlaw.com/immigration-laws-and-resources/arizona-immigration-law-s-b-1070.html

Biblica. (2015). The Holy Bible: New International Version (Larger Print edition). Colorado Springs, CO: Zondervan.

Daniel, B. (2010). Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

DuVernay, A. (2016). 13th. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5895028/

Gracism – Peter K Greer. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from http://www.peterkgreer.com/2015/06/26/gracism/