Immigration

“We have to follow the law. Romans 13 is clear.” I’ve heard this argument countless times in discussions about immigration policy. Christians who would never dream of treating immigrants with personal cruelty nevertheless defend harsh enforcement policies by appealing to Paul’s command to submit to governing authorities. The logic seems airtight: God established governments, governments make laws, therefore Christians must support strict immigration enforcement. Case closed. But what if we’re reading Romans 13 in isolation from the rest of Scripture’s witness? What if Paul’s instruction to the Roman Christians needs to be held in tension with Jesus’ own teaching about how we will be judged? ...

Imagine waking up to find out that your neighbor—a legal immigrant who works hard, pays taxes, and has never been charged with a crime—was taken away in the middle of the night by government agents. No warrant. No lawyer. No hearing. No chance to defend themselves. Just gone. Then imagine the government claims they’re a danger—but refuses to show any real evidence. And instead of bringing them to a courtroom, they ship them off to a prison in another country. ...

You Can’t Follow Jesus and Hate Immigrants You can’t follow Jesus and hate immigrants. Of course, this does NOT settle every question of immigration policy! But, if you’re a follower of Jesus, consider your overall posture toward immigrants. If you call yourself a Christian, I want you to think about this seriously. What comes into your head and your heart when you think of immigrants and refugees? Fear? Anger? Disgust? ...