What is a Christian response to the influx of unaccompanied minors from Central America? Why, of course -- we are to love them!
We have a story about this. The child Jesus was also a refugee. Not long after Jesus' birth, his family fled Judea to escape the tyrant Herod's threats. They immigrated to Egypt where they lived until it was safe to return home.
Another story, the Exodus, is one of our most foundational stories. It tells how God led people out of oppression and exploitation into a new land of promise.
The vulnerable children coming to our land of promise are fleeing violence, hunger and the fear of rape, murder and exploitation. They are mostly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador -- ranked first, fourth and fifth in world murder rates. They are escaping the threats of gangs and warlords. They've already survived one of the most dangerous borders in the world, the crossing of Mexico's south boundary.
They come to us legally. They violate no laws. A bipartisan bill passed in 2008 and signed by President Bush offers protection to children being exploited and victimized in Central America. The children are to be cared for by the Department of Health and Human Services "in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the child." Our law seeks to reunite the children with family members. Approximately 85 percent of the unaccompanied children have a family member residing in the United States.
A pro-family and humanitarian response would give these children asylum from the dangers they have risked their lives to escape and would reunite them with their families living in this country.
For the other 15 percent of unaccompanied children without family here, our nation is big enough and good enough to welcome them into our communities. There are many stories of churches that are helping. I'm involved in one effort in Fayetteville exploring the possibility of offering transitional housing and support here for some of the children. Lots of communities can welcome these children.
We're a nation of 300 million people. We can absorb and care for 60,000 children fleeing for their lives, seeking a safe, new start. Jesus told us "whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple" will be rewarded. (Matthew 10:42) Jesus told us to welcome the stranger, and give food, clothing and shelter to the needy. Jesus said that whatever we do unto "the least of these," we do to him. (Matthew 25)
Our immigration system has been broken and unjust for many years. Some people complain that undocumented immigrants have broken in line. But there is no line. Legal immigration is virtually impossible for Central American workers. There is no effective guest worker process that might allow workers to find seasonal labor here and to return to their families at home. The current system is indefensible.
We've long needed comprehensive immigration reform, but that has been stubbornly blocked by some in Congress. Even a modest and just first step like the DREAM Act -- allowing the children who have grown up with us and learned in our schools to have a path to citizenship -- has proved impossible to pass.
Yet our nation continues to benefit from our immigrants, legal and illegal. They bring economic activity, a strong work ethic and creative cultural contributions to our society. Arkansas' Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation reports that immigrants add nearly $4 billion to our state's economy annually. In 2010, for every $1 the state spent on services to immigrant households -- mostly K-12 education -- immigrants generated $7 in business.
From a Christian perspective, our greatest need is for a change of heart. The Bible expects us to recognize the immigrant and the stranger as our neighbor. Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
It's pretty clear. What do you do when unaccompanied minors fleeing exploitation and violence run into the arms of your border guards? You simply love them.
LOWELL GRISHAM IS AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST WHO LIVES IN FAYETTEVILLE. [email protected]
Commentary on 07/27/2014