Taking A Biblical Stance On Immigration
By: Faith Voters
Tags: Bible, Scripture, Immigration, Christianity, Policy

Even before the 2016 election, immigration had taken its spot as a hot button issue in American politics, but with Donald Trump’s rhetoric on the “wall” and immigration — and soon after his travel ban was announced shortly after his presidency started — it quickly escalated into a major household conversation across America.

While the issue is complex and nuanced, the evangelical backing of Trump and his decisions to lower the cap on refugees fleeing persecution, separate children from their families, and more does not fit with what the Bible says. While the modern American Church is divided on this issue due in large part to the politics behind it, there have been many Christian leaders across the aisle — some who are otherwise ardent supporters of Trump, like Franklin Graham — who have spoken out against the President on the issue.

The Bible is clear on this issue, and if it has to land on a political side, it aligns much better with Democrats’ current stances than Republicans. It is an issue that gives Democrats the ability to reach across the aisle and engage with the faithful on, even if they are more traditionally conservative on other issues.

The lessons scripture teaches us about how to treat immigrants and, even more specifically, refugees, are consistent throughout both the Old and New Testament, from Genesis to Revelation.

As Leviticus 27:19 points out, God’s people were “aliens” in the land of Egypt themselves: ”The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

As we already pointed out, the Bible upholds the importance of helping the “least of these,” which often includes the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger/foreigner, found in verses like Deuteronomy 10:18 (“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing”) and Psalm 146:9 (“The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked).

Though there are many other examples of this, Matthew 25 is perhaps one of the most quoted ones in this debate, which we have already discussed with the blessedness of the poor.

In Hebrews, we are also instructed how to welcome the “stranger:” “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it…”

However, the Bible doesn’t even stop at just allowing the stranger in; rather, it lays out how we are to make special provisions for our immigrant neighbors in Deuteronomy 24: “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from our trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.”

“Loving thy neighbor” is about more than just the people next door to us. Immigrants can bring a lot of good to our society, and scripture supports the view that welcoming the stranger is a Christian duty.

If you missed last week’s post about moral legalism, check it out here. Then, stay tuned for next week’s post on “Healing Racial Divides.”