WASHINGTON (ABP) — A group of evangelical leaders has written President Bush and Congress in support of an immigration bill that supports guest worker programs and citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Albert Reyes, president of Baptist University of the Americas and past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, was among the approximately 50 signers of the letter. It urges Bush and lawmakers to pass a border-security bill that more quickly reunites families separated by immigration rules , creates more responsive legal avenues for workers and their families who wish to immigrate to the United States legally and enables undocumented workers to become citizens.
The letter also calls for “border protection policies that are consistent with humanitarian values and with the need to treat all individuals with respect, while allowing the authorities to carry out the critical task of enforcing our laws.”
Groups signing on to the letter include the BGCT's Christian Life Commission, World Evangelical Alliance, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Jubilee Campaign USA, Sojourners and Latino Leadership Foundation.
“In this one issue — perhaps the civil rights issue of the 21st century — we're finding unity across cultural, denominational and ethnic lines,” he said.
Lawmakers are debating an immigration reform bill that addresses the presence of more than 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Various proposals in both chambers of Congress for dealing with the issue have ranged from focusing mainly on harsher enforcement of current laws to stressing methods of allowing undocumented residents to become citizens.
The enforcement-only proposal spurred a series of protests across the nation, with thousands of students walking out of high schools.
Reyes, the grandson of an illegal immigrant and migrant worker, said the immigration issue is especially important in Texas, where more than 1 million undocumented people live.
Illegal immigrants live in Texas communities, attend Texas schools and minister in Texas Baptist churches, Reyes said. They are accepting the gospel and becoming Christians, sharing their faith and impacting lives in the name of Christ, he added.
The endorsed letter cites several biblical passages, including Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and Leviticus 19:33-34, which teach Christians to be compassionate toward “aliens.” The second passage reminds the Israelites they once were aliens in Egypt.
“We support comprehensive immigration reform, based on biblical mandates, our Christian faith and values and our commitment to civil and human rights,” the letter reads. “We value immigrants as human beings, made in the image of God. We are aware of the obstacles that immigrants face, especially undocumented individuals, because they are vital members of our churches, our communities and our nation.”
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