For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Why immigrants should be welcomed:

• In some of the uncharitable attitudes exhibited in the discussion there is more than a hint of hypocrisy.
  • “Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free. / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. / Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. / I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” (inscription on the Statue of Liberty)
  • We are called to obey the laws of the land, and yet our land (for us Americans) is a nation built of immigrants.
• The Bible calls us to love the alien (Leviticus 19:34), because God loves the alien (Deuteronomy 10:18-19).
  • Yes these laws governed a church-state. Under the new covenant, the church is not a political entity.
  • The Law of Moses teaches us much about the heart of God, yet it is not a platform for civil law in our time.
  • Inflexible policies are rarely in harmony with the principle of love.

Why illegal immigrants should return to their home nations / strive to become legal:

• Lying to immigration authorities can damage one’s conscience. Keeping a clear conscience receives a huge emphasis in the scriptures. Always being “on the run” can erode faith.
• Social services are expensive; somebody has to pay. (And some needs are more legitimate than others.) The scriptures also emphasize pulling one's own weight.
• In most countries there is a way to become a legal resident. It may be better to come clean, plead for clemency, and let God move in his own way.

On the other hand...

• In some cases, going back to countries of origin is unrealistic or even dangerous (political or religious persecution)!
• The issues are complex. Anyone who denies there are any "gray areas" in scripture is unrealistic -- isn't being honest.
• It isn't the church’s job to be vigilantes who cause trouble or hardship for those who, for whatever reasons, have chosen to “hide” from immigration authorities.

Conclusion:

• As long as there is human society on this earth, there will be nations and laws and borders. Without borders, states will be overrun by their enemies.
• Capitalism may work better than socialism, but Christ-followers are called to neither position.
• Christianity was never intended to be elevated to the level of national policy. That's because those on the narrow road will never be more than a small minority in their society.
• Each situation be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Let us balance justice with compassion. How would Jesus have dealt with the illegal alien?