The recent Arizona Immigration law has everyone discussing the topic of illegal immigration in America and just what to do about it. Those on both sides of the issue are battle-ready and armed with plenty of opinion. There is really nothing new about the subject except that it has come to the surface because some lawmakers in Arizona have decided to do something about the mounting problem they have with drug trafficking, kidnapping, and increased violence stemming from political instability in Mexico. But what is most fascinating to me is the strong emotional ties one has whether it be gladness over the enforcement of federal law on the boarder or anger over racial profiling and the disenfranchisement of people, regardless of their origin. I think if we just took one big step back and looked at this thing from a different perspective, it would do us all a bit of good.
To the Liberal:
I think that you cannot deny the huge problems that illegal immigration has caused this side of the boarder. While the idea of racial profiling is scary to say the least, this is by no means Nazi Germany. The fact is that illegal immigrants from the north (hello Canadia) as well as from the south (hola amigos) have long enjoyed a relatively peaceful presence here. While not being legal citizens, illegal immigrants have been able to attain jobs (much higher-paying than in their home country), send their children to American public schools (where they can attain the skills to live a successful life in the U.S.), buy vehicles, flat-screen TV's, and even own homes here in the U.S. And this new Arizona law, even if enforced to its fullest extent, cannot deport the 12 million illegal immigrants living in this country and probably not even make a dent in their own native Arizona because the resources to do so are simply lacking. The people of Arizona are willing to go along with this law so long as it does not cost them any money, but the reality is that something like this is going to require major funding if it is going to continue to be effective.
To the conservative:
Relax, illegal immigration is the least of your worries. Your time is better well-spent on trying to get taxes lowered for small businesses in your state (California comes to mind), which depends on low-wage workers for its success. There is a built-in hypocrisy in conservative politics. On the one hand, the conservative wants only Americans getting jobs, health care, and social services, and yet at the same time they want it to be cheap. That just doesn't square with the ways things work. "You can't have your cake and eat it too" goes the saying. The old argument that the recession was caused by poor immigrants who take jobs away from harder-working Americans sounds much similar to the ideas espoused by a certain little German with a bad mustache than true conservative thinking. You want more business--not less. Illegal immigration is not the cause of recession but is the result of a demand for low-wage workers.
To the Christian:
Every time we get caught up in these political arguments we do Christ a disservice by associating Him with our particular political leanings. Whether one is a liberal or conservative, both must give an account before God. As Americans we have the right to voice our opinions freely but as Christians we have to pick our battles wisely. This is one of the reasons that I do not believe that illegal immigration is really a topic for believers to be much concerned about. Do we really believe that when an illegal immigrant stands before the judgment seat of God, the first thing he is going to ask him/her is, "Were you a legal citizen of the country you lived in?" That would be absurd. We know for a fact that there have been many Christians throughout history who had "illegal" status in the various countries they lived in. In fact, there are many believers today who currently do not obey the laws of the land in order to preach the gospel. Missionaries are always trying to come up with ways in which they can infiltrate a closed country with the light of God's Word that people might be saved. Now I am not saying or advocating that we do not abide or uphold established laws but we must always look at them in light of the Gospel. The fact that there are 12 million plus people from other countries who are here because they are desperate should excite us as Christians. We have an opportunity unprecedented in history for sharing the Gospel to the world without having to leave our front yard. This is an amazing truth. And as individual Christians, no matter our political views, we have a responsibility to share the good news with everyone who comes into our path, regardless of their status. But as Americans we get all up in arms with the idea that there are people who are not like us who want to bring their families to enjoy our freedom and wealth. Would we do any less for our families?
I think the fictional story of Les Miserable from Victor Hugo sheds more light on the subject. Jean Valjean was a poor Frenchman who lived during French revolution of the 18th century and was convicted of stealing bread. He escaped and found refuge in a church where a benevolent priest gives him food, water and a place to stay. Jean steals silver valuables in the middle of the night only to get caught by the police. When asked to press charges by the police, the priest strangely forgives the convict and says that he had given the silver as a gift. Surprised by this, Jean Valjean then seeks to live a righteous life, but has to live as a fugitive because the tenacious Javert, a militant police inspector, is committed to bringing Valjean in to custody no matter the cost. In this story of redemption, Jean Valjean finds himself caught between trying to live as someone redeemed from death, but having to face his demons. It didn't matter how much good he did because it was all done in an illegitiamte way according to the law. In the same way, I think we can become the Javert's of this story without recognizing the potential Valjean's out there. We tend to think as American Christians that illegal immigrants are immoral persons in everything they do because they are "illegal" by definition. It never occurs to us that our laws might be unjust. Just a thought. I think it would serve us well to remember the grace that we recieved from the Lord. We were once illegitimate and estranged sons and daughters of our heavenly father and yet he did not turn us away. Why are we filled with so much anger over temperal matters?
Jesus told a very similar story in His parable of the prodigal son. I think it would be better titled The Parable of the Two Lost Sons because it was not just the younger brother who wasted his inheritance that needed grace, but also about the older son, a self-righteous slave, who needed perhaps even more grace from their father. Both stories remind us of the old gospel story--and it never gets old--that a son was once lost but now he is found. He was blind but now he sees.
