By Miguel De La Torre I oppose Senate Bill 744, legislation passed 68-22 on Thursday to significantly overhaul the nation’s immigration laws. I have worked, written and lectured on immigration reform throughout the country for the past several years, but I…
SBC leader appears in immigration ads
By Bob Allen The incoming head of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission said May 30 that immigration reform will take a high priority in his new role. “Just and fair immigration reform … will be a…
Can you imagine?
“Can you imagine being in a place where you do not know how to communicate??” That is how my friend from South America began a short presentation she will be giving as a panelist for a breakout at this year’s…
Faith leaders oppose religious profiling
By Bob Allen As the Senate opened formal debate on a proposal for comprehensive immigration reform, a group of religious organizations called on senators to include a ban on religious profiling in the final package. An 844-page legislative plan developed…
Boston is about us
When I recovered from the initial shock and horror of the Boston Marathon bombing, I automatically switched into advocacy mode. “Please, God,” I thought, “don’t let the perpetrators turn out to be foreigners or immigrants.” I am not proud of…
The fence through Friendship Park
A fence runs through Friendship Park at the western end of the U.S. border with Mexico. A 20-foot tall steel structure begun in late 2011 and completed in early 2012, it begins at the very spot where (without barriers) it…
My Boston take-aways
These posts are truly difficult to write; partly because if you want to be real then you have to confess some things and partly because events such as occurred last week are not easy to process. I am not sure…
Ethicist says drop ‘i-word’
By Bob Allen A Baptist ethicist says it’s time for churches to stop using the word “illegal” when talking about immigration. “Let’s drop the ‘i-word’ in church and community conversations,” Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics,…
CBF ministers urge immigration reform
By Robert Dilday Ministers affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina rallied in Winston-Salem April 2 to call on their representatives in Washington to support “comprehensive, fair immigration reform” that supports “the common good.” “Our Scripture repeatedly calls…