“If you go to the people of California, they don’t want to have sanctuary cities anymore. They’re tired of sanctuary cities.”
Recently in Los Angeles, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made this and related offhand comments at a news conference that went largely overlooked. “They want these people out,” he said. “They’re just as scared as everybody else.”
What was actually happening in our area that day? San Diego County leaders were continuing to develop plans for a new respite center for migrants.
Some things shouldn’t need clarifying, but I feel the need to do so anyway: This candidate does not speak for the people of California. No, we are not “scared” of “these people.”
That’s why recently, along with hundreds of other evangelical leaders, I signed an open letter to all presidential candidates to clarify my position as an evangelical on immigration issues.
I am an evangelical and my faith teaches me that I must care for the vulnerable, reflecting the way I have been cared for by God. I signed because as a fully pro-life person, I value the dignity of all people, especially those whose circumstances differ from my own, whom I would easily disregard. San Diego, where I live, is the very doorstep approached by many seeking a better, safer life for themselves and their families.
As a Christian, I understand that generous hospitality and the welcoming of the needy is a tenet that has informed and motivated Christians throughout centuries. It was the impulse for the first orphanages and hospitals. It was the impulse that opened doors to refugees after World War II. And it remains the impulse of the heart of Christ.
As an evangelical, I grieve that many who are outside my faith tradition see a caricature of it: one that is anti-immigrant and willing to bear false witness. This is not a true portrayal of my faith.
I also grieve that many fail to be mature in their perspectives. They fail to understand that it is indeed possible to love the stranger while also supporting the need for safe and secure borders. In fact, it is right and possible for a government to seek to protect her citizens while, at the same time, carefully opening her borders to those fleeing persecution and oppression.
In this years-long presidential campaign, we’ve been presented with false choices on this issue. The reality is that this isn’t an either/or problem. It’s both/and.
The truth is that I am not alone in my perspectives. The vast majority of American evangelicals are neither anti-immigrant nor advocates for open borders.
I want to see a secure and orderly national border. And I want to see an immigration policy that protects the unity of the immediate family. I want to see policies that respect the God-given dignity of every person. (More than 90% of evangelicals feel the same.) We can do this: both/and, not either/or.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah gave clear instructions from the Lord: “Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor, the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:3)
While these instructions were given to the nation of Israel, not to the U.S., they also give us a glimpse into the heart of God, and his intentions for his people. These are commands that shape my ministry and will influence my vote this November.
Fitzpatrick is an author and speaker and lives in Escondido.
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Publish date : 2024-10-30 02:05:00
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