On Good Friday this year, Pastor Tony Suarez, founder of the evangelical Christian ministry Revival Makers, drove a stake into the ground in the middle of a tent in McAllen, Texas. “This entire southern border belongs to Jesus,” he declared to a crowd of mostly Latino Texans.
Suarez’s stop in McAllen was one of a series of tent revivals on the southern border that his ministry said have drawn more than 9,000 people. He doesn’t just preach: As vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), Suarez advocates with politicians for immigration reform that prioritizes border enforcement, assimilation and a non-amnesty path to legal status.
A member of Donald Trump’s informal evangelical advisory board since 2016, Suarez endorsed the former president in June as one of the campaign’s “Latino Americans for Trump.” Suarez has, however, at times expressed disappointment in the Republican party’s policies at the border. In this he is representative of Latino evangelical leaders who lack trust in either major political party’s action on the issue while pushing them for reform.
“We went to the border and we asked the Lord to intervene, to be in the midst of this, to give wisdom to legislators and to give patience to frustrated citizens,” Suarez told Religion News Service earlier this month. “In Genesis chapter 2, there was an angelic guard at the Garden of Eden. And so we prayed and asked the Lord to do something similar at the southern border.”
For Suarez and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the “free flow” of migrants crossing the border is an “unprecedented crisis” that led the NHCLC to launch its immigration reform campaign, “The Urgency of Now,” in March.
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Even as illegal border crossings have dropped following Biden’s recent changes to asylum policy, Suarez said the border remains in crisis, “with no real resolution or end in sight,” calling Biden’s actions “politically motivated but really just empty words.”
“We are a nation of immigrants. We love immigrants and we support immigration reform, but we have to know who’s in the country,” Suarez said.
Since the last presidential election, nearly 4 million more Latinos are eligible to vote, putting the U.S.’s 36.2 million eligible Latino voters at about 14.7% of the electorate. As the Trump campaign has made reducing immigration a number one campaign issue, Latinos, especially those who call themselves evangelical, are far from a unified bloc.
In 2022, Pew Research Center fundar that 15% of Latinos are evangelical Protestants, half of whom are Republican or Republican-leaning, and 44% are Democrats or Democratic-leaning. That represents a much higher percentage of Republicans than among Latino Catholics.
Suarez said that immigration is just one of the issues the NHCLC’s 40,000 member churches are concerned about in this election, saying that Democrats’ “woke ideology” on marriage, life and gender are the “No. 1 issue.”
But the Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, said that poverty and education are the most important issues for Latino evangelicals.
He particularly emphasized the child tax credit, earned income tax credit, and nutrition assistance programs like WIC y SNAP.
“Protecting the poor is an issue for the Gospel because Jesus told us that,” said Salguero, who is a pastor at The Gathering, an Assemblies of God church in Orlando, Florida. “Latino evangelicals are not one-issue voters, and we’re certainly not a monolith.”
The National Latino Evangelical Coalition has also kept up a “sustained outreach and advocacy effort” on immigration reform, calling for bipartisan legislation to provide more resources for border enforcement and processing asylum cases while prioritizing family unification.
“Latino evangelicals are looking for people who know how to balance justice and mercy, law and humane treatment of people,” Salguero said of the election.
Bishop Jesus Santos Yáñez, a lifelong Republican whose family settled in Texas before it became part of the U.S., now leads a region of the Church of God of Prophecy covering Iowa, Colorado, Nebraska and Minnesota. He tells the pastors in his multiethnic and multiracial Pentecostal Holiness denomination that they must prioritize helping people without judgment in addition to following the law.
Recently, he accompanied advocates from Mission Talk, a Florida coalition of Latino evangelicals, on a visit to Tallahassee to speak out against new laws that raise penalties for immigrants lacking permanent legal status who are caught driving without a license.
On the National Day of Prayer in May, Yáñez prayed over Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican. But like some other evangelical Latino leaders, he said he cannot support former President Donald Trump because of the former president’s anti-immigrant and what Yáñez believes to be racist rhetoric.
The Rev. Juan García, pastor of the Hispanic congregation of First Baptist Church in Newport News, Virginia, said he spends a lot of time countering the right’s narrative that immigrants don’t belong.
“The idea that we’re not loved, we’re not wanted or we’re not valued may be seeded or planted in the minds of people,” said García, who is Puerto Rican.
And García also reminds them of their own worth, saying they spiritually have the “blood of Christ” running through their veins.
García, moderator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a network of 1,800 Baptist congregations that formed in 1991 after breaking with the more conservative Southern Baptist Convention , was one of many Latino Protestant leaders who pushed back against Trump’s reclamación (es that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.”
The people Trump is targeting, Garcia said, are those who are “making the economy run.”
Elket Rodríguez, an attorney and global migration advocate for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, lamented “the lack of seriousness” that lawmakers display when speaking about immigration reform, which he said is about more than U.S. aspirations and responsibilities. Rodríguez said “a highly intellectual and honest conversation” would address the root causes driving migration and the impact of immigration on questions around the future funding for Social Security, the nation’s aging population and job openings in agriculture and other sectors.
“If you ask me, misinformation is the biggest threat to migrants and those who want to host them,” Rodríguez said.
Some Latino faith leaders say the term “evangelical” has become too politicized, to represent them. Yáñez, García and Rodríguez all said that while evangelical describes their congregations accurately from a theological perspective, they now shy away from identifying that way.
“Evangelical and evangélico are not the same thing,” said Rodríguez, explaining the word in Spanish has a strong theological component. “The word evangelical in the U.S. has evolved, especially in the past 10 years, into more of a political ethno-national concept.”
But the National Latino Evangelical Coalition’s Salguero said he prefers to make the term bend to what he believes it should represent. “Why should I give up a perfectly good historical definition?” he asked.
“Some of us in the evangelical world have compromised truth for proximity to power, and that’s idolatry. That’s sin,” Salguero said. “One of the tragic temptations of evangelicalism in America is that we have become captive to partisan talking points and instead of going to our primary source, which is Scripture.”
Aleja Hertzler-McCain is a national reporter for Religion News Service based in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
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72 Respuestas
Love Tony Suarez!!! Jesus is moving at the border!!!
Yesterday, I read about the desperation of people risking crossing the Darien gap with their young children. Some don’t make it. Pastor Suarez’ comments above come across very uncaring. They left me in a state of shock.
“We went to the border and we asked the Lord to intervene, …to give patience to frustrated citizens, and an angelic guard at the southern border à la Garden of Eden (to protect us).
I didnt detect any compassion whatsoever towards the desperate refugees.
I don’t have solutions, and I don’t know what God would have us do, but totally not caring cannot be it.
Thankfully, God doesn’t seem to be on Tony Suarez’ side. What does it do to their faith when they pray for God to close the border, and God…. doesn’t?
Do you think they’re self reflective enough to realize God may be calling us as people of faith to something different at the border? I’m guessing not. I’m guessing that Tony Suarez will find that they leopards will not even pause before also eating his face. (from the meme where people vote for the “face eating leopard party” and then are surprised when the leopards eat THEIR faces)
“The word evangelical in the U.S. has evolved, especially in the past 10 years, into more of a political ethno-national concept.”
this quote is so so true. Thank you for naming it, Mr. Rodriguez.
Finish the wall. Then we can control who comes in and vet these individuals. I love legal immigration. We can tweak the numbers of how many we let in but they must be vetted in case they are terrorists, or have a disease that we are not prepared for. This is a huge issue across the country and not just in South TX. I love when sanctuary cities complain that illegal immigrants are being sent their way. Hello!!
“Finish the wall”
Why? Most who are here illegally didn’t come over a wall (BTW, there are planes and boats), and merely stayed longer than their visa allowed. They don’t look the way you expect them to look, and didn’t all come across the same border. BTW, the 9/11 terrorists flew over from CANADA.
“Then we can control who comes in and vet these individuals.”
Yes we can. Problem has been how racist and classist our vetting has been. Go read the history of immigration, and our preferential treatment of people who come from the “right” countries. This should be addressed.
“I love when sanctuary cities complain that illegal immigrants are being sent their way. Hello!!”
Why do you love it? These immigrants are human beings, not objects to be shuttled around as political pawns to prove a point or “stick it to the libs!”. This inhumane sentiment is exactly what Pastor Suarez is talking about.
I don’t believe any of the 911 terrorists came from Canada. They flew from abroad with valid US visas. Terrorists are well-funded and find much better ways to enter than walking from the Darien gap. Brent mentioned the senator Lankford bill. I heard today Kamala offered to sign it in law if it’s passed when she’s presedent.
Finally, lying to refugees about where the busses are headed and not notifying the municipality, is cruel and underhanded. As believers, we should condemn such behavior.
Marín,
Would you care to comment about why Israel has a wall? Walls tend to keep people out, as do fences and locked doors.
Security and national sovereignty go hand in hand.
Every time I crossed the border between South Africa and Swaziland, I had to go through security. Every time. If I arrived after 10:00 PM, I would have to wait until the next day to get across.
Borders between countries need walls, fences, security. It is part of being a sovereign nation and it most definitely provides a measure of security against incursion by those plotting evil.
A wall is not the only way to keep people out. When landing in Israel years ago, it was disconcerting to see our jet surrounded by armed Israeli soldiers. They were sending all of us on board a message: We will protect Israel, so watch out.
The USA is a sovereign nation. It is not open to one and all, as many Democrats currently seem to believe. And it is not “evil” or “anti-immigrant” to prioritize the safety of the American people. Indeed, it is the primary responsibility of our government to do so.
cinthia-
Israel has a wall as it is more landlocked than we are (we have 2 oceans on either side of us), and it shares borders with neighbors known to be hostile (Canada and Mexico are allies, and haven’t tried to aggressively attack, invade, or claim any of our soil). Israel has also fought more wars on its actual soil than we have due to these reasons. Under these circumstances, it makes sense to have a wall!
What is often mistaken for “Dems believe ‘we are open to one and all'” is merely questioning what the real impact of a wall would be.
– Most immigrants who are here illegally have expired visas.
– Terrorists (some caught before their plans were executed, and some after 9/11) FLEW over, with many laying over in Canada, before touching down in Miami, JFK, Newark, and Cincy.
– El Chapo and his criminal network dug TUNNELS along the border through which criminals and drugs were entering.
I fail to see how a wall will significantly impact any of this. Oh yeah, and we are only talking about building a wall on the southern border, with no mention of the light security at the Canadian border (having just been to Niagara Falls myself) and how Canada is how many from Saudi Arabia (known for funding terrorists) prefer to enter (per INS reports).
I merely think there is a better way to invest our time and money to impactfully address this.
Marín,
You make some great points about walls. In my opinion, however, we should use ALL tools at our disposal to protect the USA.
This includes building a wall as a deterrent. At the very least, it gives our protectors the chance to slow people down and provides a “watch” focal point.
I chuckle when Cynthia is talking about the Israeli wall. Have you ever been to Israel? The country is the size of New Jersey. At their widest, they are 71 miles! A big portion of their border is Mediterranean. US southern border is 2000 miles.
Apart from that, as believers, let’s try to figure out what our nation’s role and responsibility is when it comes to refugees and the instability in South America. What can we do creatively to help people stay in their countries?
Kirsti,
I lived in Israel. Did you? Further, Israel likely has one of the most elite security forces in the world. They often share their intelligence with us.
We would do well to emulate their methods.
As believers, we must take care of our nation and its families first. The Bible is clear about that. The “instability in South America” is due to their governments and the rampant corruption present among its leaders. We are not responsible for “creatively helping people” to stay in their countries. Their “elected” officials are responsible.
You seem confused about America and its government, people, and policies. It appears you may not actually be an American. If not, why are you making suggestions concerning this nation when you don’t actually live here? A wall on our southern border would act as a deterrent and would be one of many ways to protect our country.
Marin, regarding the wall, ok so some people come in different ways. A physical barrier is an effective way to limit the opportunities and require going thru controlled points of entry. It is not meant to be complete closure.
Regarding vetting, I think what is meant is in regards to criminal background and loyalty to our laws (btw there are more verses that speak to the foreigner obeying the law and rituals than that of treating them right). Yes there may be some secondary considerations such as education and financial stability and I think some of this is reasonable esp. if the purpose is to fill the lack of our birth rate and not burden the economy. Could that be interpreted as classist and racist? Maybe but again is that the intent of all who support such vetting? No. But I think this is a great point many don’t realize. There have always been annual immigration caps that have varied over decades and there is no right to let all in. This view that there is no limit seems to be the underlying assumption of many who argue for limited control and the voice of certain policies that say “come and we’ll let you in” and work it out later. Lastly, on the sanctuary cities, it is actually not very caring of our leaders to burden certain states and cities with excessive people when there are so many cities who want them. So this is just giving those cities what they want. You could interpret this as political stunts and maybe for some it is. If you disagree with the distribution decided by a governor, then you need to disagree with the distribution decided by a president.
Joe –
When I was speaking of racism and classism in our immigration policies, I was speaking of specific laws with VERY clear intent: the naturalization act of 1790 (our first major immigration policy) limited citizenship to “any alien who is a free white person.” Then we have the Page Act, which prohibited the entry of Asian women (I believe that was around 1880, right before the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred ALL Chinese immigrants from entry). In 1907, we added the Japanese to this act. Then the Immigration Act of 1924 set quotas for entry, with those from Northern and Western Europe being allowed the most. These racial citizenship and national origin quotas were in place until ~1965, yet were replaced with other vetting policies that continue to show preference for educated Europeans. I encourage you to have conversations with those who immigrated here from Latin America or Africa; then compare it to the experience of those who immigrated here from the UK. VERY different experiences. I saw this happen with business school classmates: all here to get an MBA from a top 5 school, yet those from the “right countries” eased right on in, and others were still in limbo YEARS after graduation. We have work to do.
And I will ALWAYS disagree with the governor LYING to immigrants about where they are going and not notifying the municipality that immigrants are coming so there can be proper preparation; it’s convenient you skipped over these details to make this process sound cute or caring. I refuse to believe Christians don’t see a better way of doing this that honors the personhood of immigrants.
Marin, I think it is more honoring to people to not give them false hope (as of this country can afford to give them all sorts of jobs or provision). That’s why having reasonable quotas and an allocation and approval process ahead of time is the fair and loving way to do this. And where was the notification from the Federal government for the states and cities they decided unilaterally to send them to?
Joe –
I deem it to be false hope – and outright lying – to haul immigrants on a bus or plane and tell them there are jobs and homes waiting for them as soon as they land….knowing that not even a phone call has been made to their destination municipality. Yes, that is what the governors of Texas and Florida did before sending buses and planes of immigrants – scheduled to arrive in the middle of the night – anywhere blue. The immigrants arrived confused, asking about what was promised to them to residents and volunteers who didn’t know they were even arriving; then the governors positioned that confusion as some sort of “see! They don’t want you!”
None of that was done in good faith (if so, why not notify ahead of time?). It was all a game. And that sort of game that shuttles people like cattle to have a “gotcha” moment is inhumane and SHOULD be unacceptable. At least to believers.
And I think we all agree – no matter what side of the aisle we are on – that it’s good to have an immigration policy. Literally NO Democrat has said we shouldn’t have one, so the “open borders” mantra is dishonest. We just need an immigration policy that is updated, and applied consistently and transparently.
Marin, the problem is we have a good policy (minus a completed wall) that is not being executed and that is why the metaphor “open border” is used. As pointed out by Jennifer below, the being happens BEFORE being permitted in. DACA was an outright statement that “we are not going to execute the law”.
Marin –Are the doors to your house unlocked? Do YOU let anyone into YOUR house who wants to come in? No. I’m sure you only let people into YOUR house that YOU want to come in.
Scott – how does questioning if a wall will address the biggest flaws in our immigration system translate into “are the doors of your house unlocked”?
As for my logic, I think the wall is reactionary rather than proactive; I think we need to think and act more “upstream” to impactfully reduce illegal immigration.
Walk me through your logic here….somehow my argument lands on my doors being unlocked?
Marín,
If you don’t think walls are effective, why do you think locked doors are effective? There are multiple ways criminals can get past your locked doors. Does this mean you should not have locked doors?
That’s the point you seem to be missing. It’s what W. Scott Moyer is talking about.
I love when evangelicals balk at immigration reform if Democrats indicate their support for it. Earlier this year, conservative evangelical Southern Baptist Senator James Lankford (R-OK) offered a comprehensive immigration reform bill that had funding for the wall as well as funding for everything else you’ve just described, and more. If you doubt that, skip the liberal mainstream reports and read all about the reforms in the bill over on Senator Lankford’s own web page. Apparently a cardinal sin in Republican immigration reform is for a Democratic president to indicate his support for it. Senator Lankford was compelled to vote against (!) his own bill after President Biden indicated his support for it and after a former Republican president called for the bill’s demise. How do we fix that problem?
Brent,
The “bill” would have continued to allow too many illegal immigrants into the country. That’s why it was killed.
What nobody in politics talks about is how 1% of Americans hold more wealth than the entire middle class, or how printing money to cover their tax cuts results in the hidden tax of inflation. Rather, let’s galvanize against the desperately poor “illegals” who are depleting our resources and make them the scapegoats.
White American evangelicalism is in a dark place right now.
How about we get back to the ways of Jesus?
The Bible says to welcome immigrants. So why don’t white evangelicals?
68 percent of white evangelicals say America has no responsibility to house refugees.
by Tara Isabella Burton
Oct 30, 2018, 1:50 PM EDT
https://www.vox.com/2018/10/30/18035336/white-evangelicals-immigration-nationalism-christianity-refugee-honduras-migrant
I’m glad I read past the first pastor to see that there are quite a few others who are not on that Trump bandwagon.
I also agree with those here who wonder whatever happened to the church?
So many Christians being more concerned that someone will commit an illegal act of crossing a border (misdemeanor) than they are for the people and the conditions they are trying to flee from, whether it be persecution, personal safety, escape from poverty, or even just opportunity for a better life.
And why are they so concerned about their legal status? Because they believe that the people coming will negatively impact their own quality of life.
How selfish.
If that is not the antithesis of the Way of Jesus and the second greatest commandment he gave us, to love our neighbor as ourself?
I am in favor of immigration reform to bring order to the chaos we’ve allowed to happen.
We need laws that are fair and just and reasonable.
At the same time, I strongly believe that as Christians we are to treat the immigrants, (including those who are undocumented – maybe especially?) as we would want to be treated not to talk about them as a political football, as if they’re less than human. We are to love them and make sure their needs are met, not be their judge and jury. Unless I’m an immigration official or politician responsible for legislation, it is not my job and not my worry how they got here.
Tricia, you create a false choice regarding our value of law and order vs the conditions of the world people are trying to flee from. Wanting to control the border does not mean only one of these values is valued and not the other. No one disagrees that these are terrible places being fled. No one is arguing receiving no asylum seekers. But you have to have the capability. You mention “love your neighbor as yourself”. Well that includes my immediate neighbor including the American poor. I don’t think you would run your house this way where you don’t care how a stranger suddenly appeared in your house and thought it was your duty to take care of their needs indefinitely.
Greg, your argument is a non sequitur. The singular statement of not having responsibility to house refugees (which is not the same as denying all refugees) does not result in the conclusion – they don’t follow Jesus. And esp when none of those verses in the Vox article say you must house refugees, it is about treatment of any immigrant altar in country.
So think about whether you have a responsibility to house the homeless in your home. Does that mean you cannot deny even one from all who seek or else you are not following Jesus? Obviously not. This sort of poll simplifies the situation without any respect to one’s loyalties and all the commands of God. You would have a more controlled approach in your home and so why shouldn’t there be at a national level?
Joe,
Of course we don’t house them in our homes. But we want them housed. True Christians want refugees fed. That doesn’t mean that they would have the right to remove food from our refrigerators.
As Christians we should be the ones helping them get their paperwork in order, making sure their medical needs are cared for, feeding them, making sure they have competent bilingual legal assistance and transportation for their court dates. Right?
But all we do is to use them as punching bags and as political footballs.
P.S. I am old enough to remember conservative political rallies where you could hear Neil Diamond’s patriotic Coming to America blaring over the intercom when people were arriving. Today, those same crowds would boo if that song was played.
Greg, you are missing the point. My question is personally would you do invite refugees without much vetting in your house to the nth degree. Desire to help but wanting others to do it doesn’t make you a real Christian. Who knows there probably are ministries out there who do this or at least individuals. Your conclusion is like saying person such and such is not involved in worship ministry so they must not be Christians.
Joe, the vetting process for Refugees and Asylum Seekers is incredibly stringent. I encourage you to look into it. https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/refugees/refugee-processing-and-security-screening
Jen, the problem is that is not finished before they are let in. What good does it do to open the door in your house and then find out later it was a criminal? Plus, it’s not just about vetting but also about assimilation.
greg,
The Bible supports following the law.
cinthia,
These were REFUGEES- people fleeing war, violence and famine. Shame on them for not hiring an immigration attorney before they got here. Right? (By the way, they have the legal right to come to America and claim asylum)
Jesus would help people in need get the best immigration attorneys and so should we.
But when is the last time some “Christian” leader on the right raise money to help these people with their paperwork and teach them their rights?
greg,
The Bible supports following the law.
Also- refugees, up until very recently, WERE following the law by coming into the country by any means necessary, because in order to make an asylum claim, you had to be on US soil, and there was nothing in the law saying it had to be through a legal port of entry. Because as a country (and international law) recognized that when you’re fleeing violence, you often don’t have time for paperwork and years of trials and waiting.
The sad thing is that while Jesus was always on the side of the poor, American Evangelicals vote with the rich. The rich give Christians anti-abortion/transgender and laugh all the way to the bank. And the great majority stuggles. With their final dollars, they buy a red hat.
Kirsti,
A quote for you to ponder, from Winston Churchill:
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”
Jesus was always on the side of the rich, the poor, the hungry, the full, the sad, the happy…
EVERYBODY. He came for EVERYBODY. If you seek to foment division based on economic status, you are not following the way of Jesus. He did not draw distinctions, as you have, based on one’s economic status.
lorena,
Are you aware that the 1% of Americans you seem to despise pay over 50% of our federal taxes? And that around 48% of Americans pay no federal taxes at all?
cinthia,
Are you aware that Amazon, one of the largest companies in America (that pays little to no income tax and whose founder Jeff Bezos’ net worth is one third of TRILLION dollars) pays its employees so poorly that up to one third of them are on Medicaid and food stamps?
Same with Walmart and the Walton family and the billions they are worth.
Why are American taxpayers footing the bill for these billionaires?
Greg:
Your words: “Why are American taxpayers footing the bill for these billionaires?”
Simple answer: They’re not.
Absolutely not. Nothing is ever enough for people who live in a delusional world where their idea of utopia is the only thing that will ever measure up to their expectations. Perfection isn’t real for us in the flesh, but they don’t care. They can’t seem to accept harsh realities of life and try to gaslight and manipulate everyone else into their delusions, while trying to convince us we’re responsible for everyone else instead of holding adults accountable. Like children.
Sarah –
Why is it delusional to think the RICHEST country in the world can afford to treat immigrants better than this? I mean, lying to them about where they are going, not telling the municipality they are coming so there are ZERO preparations, and then scrambling to keep them from having to sleep on the streets. You don’t see a gap between that and “perfection”? Expecting ANYTHING better than that is “delusional” or “not holding adults accountable”?
Jesus, come quickly.
Marín,
The Bible supports following the law.
Marin, even if a city is notified, where are the provisions coming from? Well in New York, they came from American students who had to do school online. I really don’t think you would run your house this way.
Regarding the claim of lying to their destination, one lawsuit failed already and I don’t think it has been proven. If it is true, then of course that is not right. But it doesn’t mean the action was wrong. If it is, then so was the Federal governments role in trafficking these people.
cinthia,
Immigrants have the legal right to apply for asylum. As Christians we should help them. But we don’t. We only use them as political tools.
The worst example of this is when Ron DeSantis was angling for the White House he went to Texas, deceptively rounded up immigrants *who were here legally* and dumped them in Martha’s Vineyard. And to top it off, DeSantis’ team scheduled check in hearings the next week all over the country, which if they failed to show they *would* be here illegally.
Migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard: Political stunt, criminal operation, or humanitarian mission?
60-minutes
By Sharyn Alfonsi
October 15, 2023 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News
The story caught the attention of Sheriff Javier Salazar in San Antonio. He’s the highest-ranking uniformed law enforcement officer in Bexar County, Texas, about 140 miles north of the border with Mexico.
Sharyn Alfonsi: What was your reaction when you heard that they were taken from your county?
Sheriff Javier Salazar: I mean, I was shocked…Why are you messing with people in Bexar County that are here legally at that point, by the way? They’re not “undocumented,” anymore. They’ve been documented. They’re here legally…
Rachel Self is a criminal defense and immigration lawyer who happens to live on the Island of Chappaquiddick, just off the eastern end of the Vineyard. Self, who speaks Spanish says the migrants who’d all followed the laws to enter the country, were now most worried about missing their mandatory immigration check-ins, which were scheduled all over the country.
Sharyn Alfonsi: And what happens if you miss that check-in?
Rachel Self: If you miss that check-in, there’s a potential that you could be placed into proceedings and deported in absentia.
Yes, the Bible supports following the law.
We must be careful about being legalistic here – as this same logic is often used to slam those who stood up against unjust laws (read “Christian” opinions written about the abolition movement, sufferage movement, MLK and the civil rights movement, etc. during their time).
Where would we be if we kept responding to slavery, disenfranchisement, and segregation laws with “well, the Bible supports following the law”?
Now, I said NOTHING about following (or disobeying) the law. I also don’t know the status or story of all immigrating here to make any blanket statements or judgments. But I cannot be convinced that those who disobey our immigration laws deserve to be lied to and shuttled around like political pawns in a “gotcha” game.
It saddens me Christians don’t see ANY better way than that.
Marin –these municipalities call themselves ‘sanctuary cities’. They are supposedly always ready for immigrants but they are the ones complaining when immigrants arrive. Strange.
Where would we be if we kept responding to slavery, disenfranchisement, and segregation laws with “well, the Bible supports following the law”?
Marín,
That was EXACTLY our response. That is what evangelical leaders used to counter Martin Luther King Jr.’s non violent disobedience to Jim Crowe laws.
1967- “Yes. Things are unfair. But God calls us to obey the laws.”
2024- White Evangelicals More Open to Political Violence Than Non-Christians
Published Oct 26, 2023 at 4:50 PM EDT
https://www.newsweek.com/evangelicals-political-violence-non-christians-1838384
Cynthia, the point is that the economic problems experienced by many American blue-collar workers are tied to globalization and inflation, not immigration. Building a wall won’t keep manufacturing jobs from having to compete with China. Building a wall won’t cure a $35T deficit that can only avoid default by continually printing money disproportionately faster than our GDP. When the average Joe is paying 2x as much for housing, groceries, healthcare, ect, they are paying the hidden tax of a money supply that has grown faster than their wages. Tax cuts that contribute to budget deficits are great, until they aren’t. If you’re wealthy enough to own a lot of assets, you’re largely immune from inflation. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, you’re in trouble. If you think your economic problems are being caused by illegal immigration, you’re being bamboozled. And if our economy has given you half of its wealth, it’s not unreasonable to expect a proportional tax burden.
lorena,
“Our economy” doesn’t dole out wealth. Hard work does. You seem to be confused about what it means to earn money and pay taxes here in the USA. We have a free market economy, which translated simply means the market determines what people get paid.
In California, your idea of raising salaries was tried with hourly wage-earners. What happened? The companies involved responded by laying off workers, raising prices, and cutting work hours.
How did that approach help? It didn’t. It made things worse.
If you want equal outcomes for all, move to China or any other nation where Marxism/Communism has been tried.
The problem with illegal immigration is this: Wages tend to get depressed, and the jobs that many unskilled Americans would normally take are already taken by illegals.
Against my better judgement, I’ll respond once more. Detroit is an extreme example of the impact of globalization on American blue-collar workers. As you say, that’s how a free market works. There are winners and losers. They didn’t lose their good paying jobs from laziness or illegal immigration. And the executives who moved those jobs overseas are doing just fine, thank you very much. So, tell me, who foots the bill when they need social security or Medicare? The billionaire in the red hat tells me not paying his fair share in taxes “makes me smart” while demonizing the least of these. Pointing out how that doesn’t add up doesn’t make you a communist. And for the life of me, I can’t figure out what part of the bible advocates transferring financial burdens from the rich to the working poor. Too many American evangelicals need to unlearn the half-truths parroted on their trusted media sources to have eyes to see and ears to hear what their bible actually says.
lorena,
Just today, an article in the Washington Post, by Catherine Rampell, was published describing Harris’s plan to prevent “price gouging.” Sounds like price controls to me, something already tried in other Communist nations.
To repeat past failures is an indication that she is “unburdened by what has been.”
This article is about illegal immigration. Fixing the price of groceries will severely impact all of us, including those struggling to make it. It will lead to the same unintended consequences experienced by all who have gone before: Black market, shortages, failed businesses…
Is that your idea of a solution? The Free Market tends to correct itself over time based on supply and demand. Intrusion by the government often makes things much worse for all.
“Pointing out how that doesn’t add up doesn’t make you a communist.”
VERY well said. It is a straw man label used as a “thought stopper” to shut down critical thinking and constructive thought about how what we currently have has its flaws.
I often question if those quick to respond to ANY critiques of capitalism with “Marxist! Communist!” even know what those terms mean.
Sad part is, there are enough very intelligent people on all sides of the argument who – if allowed to collaborate without labels and accusations – could find a way to make our system BETTER.
cinthia-
So funny…I say the same thing when people rant about Democratic states and cities. These are the areas that contribute the most to our GDP and churn all the tax revenue that literally funds Red states and cities.
Marín,
Texas and Florida are doing very well economically. Illinois, California and other “blue” states – not so much.
Things have changed. Check your stats.
Very selective. Look at the most recent data: California, NY and Illinois (the bluest states) have among the largest GDPs in the WORLD, and regularly overcontribute HUGE amounts of tax revenue that end up in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, and the like (among the poorest states with the poorest population…that are the reddest).
Oh and you should do a breakdown by county and city. You’ll then see the bluest parts of places like Texas (Austin, Houston, Dallas) are STILL finding the red ones.
And it goes without saying Chicago (blue) is funding the rest of Illinois (red). Govenor Pritzker WON because his challenger was foolish enough to make similar (disparaging) sentiments about Chicago, claiming the rest of the state should secede from such a blue place ….forgetting Chicago is where most of the money and where most voters are. No recovering from that.
Marin, you are correct. When you drill down to the county level, the “Red states do better than Blue states” argument falls apart.
Democratic counties represent 70% of U.S. GDP, 2020 election shows
Published Tue, Nov 10 2020 2:28 PM EST
by Thomas Franck
– President Donald Trump carried 2,497 counties across the country that together generate 29% of the American economy, according to a new study by the Brookings Institution.
– President-elect Joe Biden won 477 counties that together generate 70% of U.S. GDP.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/10/election-2020-democrats-republicans-economy.html
Immigration is just another tool being used by the rich and powerful to destroy prosperity here in America. Better to go and help people where they are, instead of thinking they’d be better off here.
lorena,
Globalization has wreaked havoc on all economic systems, not just ours. For example, China is currently suffering because its people invested vast quantities of money in their failing housing market. As a consequence, their country is now relying on exports to get them out of their economic troubles.
The problem with global exports? If people don’t like your country, they can use imports from other nations to fill their needs. Apparently, that is the case that is building in China.
I do not believe any economic system is perfect, but the Free Market system has lifted more people out of poverty than any other system known to Man.
You claim financial burdens are being transferred to the working poor. How? Most do not pay any federal taxes and most receive government assistance. Further, the Bible lays the burden of the poor at the feet of Christians. WE are held responsible for taking care of them.
One more great question: Who actually provides the most jobs in the USA?
I’ll leave it there. I don’t think we will change any minds here, so I am signing off.
the Bible lays the burden of the poor at the feet of Christians. WE are held responsible for taking care of them
cinthia,
That would be great if churches did that.
Wouldn’t it be great if the poor could come the church and get a gift card to Kroger or Aldi to feed their families?
And even better- wouldn’t it be awesome if the poor could bring their medical bills to a church to be paid?
Best would be for the pastors and churches (especially those that oppose government’s role in providing health care for the poor) to purchase health insurance for those who can’t afford it?
greg,
Churches ARE taking care of the poor. There are a large number of church organizations currently helping the poor.
What are you talking about?
There are still a WHOLE lot of poor people out there, with church contributions (which then go to ministries and aiding the poor) continuing to decline. And this site is also full of articles on where some of this money is going.
Greg pointed out some gaps that need to be addressed.
Marín,
As Jesus said, we will always have the poor with us. It is never going to be a solvable problem, unfortunately.
cinthia,
Are any churches in the USA willing to pay for health insurance for their congregants who can’t afford it? Are they willing to pay for it for others in the community?
Or is the argument that “the church should be doing it” just a Christian chiche?
The same Free Market system both Trump/Vance and Harris/Walz decry? That one?
https://reason.com/volokh/2024/07/15/gop-vp-nominee-j-d-vance-is-an-enemy-of-free-markets/
Marín,
Yes, Chicago has the largest population in Illinois, but who lives there? Think carefully before answering. You should also take a look at which states have the worst income and property taxes, which states are in very serious debt, which states are being abandoned, and which states have the poorest public education. Oh, and which states have the highest gas prices? All indications of poorly run states… I believe Illinois ranks last when it comes to economic viability and debt burden?
GDP is only one measure of “economic success,” by the way. If people are leaving your state in droves, it’s possible they don’t like the taxes you are imposing on their wealth.
All of these tie in to this article because illegal immigration only increases the strain on an already failing system.
Greg already posted above, proving my point when you look at the county level
And red states (specifically Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi) are ranked lowest in quality of education in our nation.
And the taxes you complain about? Follow the money….it all trickles down at some point to fund poor red areas. (Go online and look at the Illinois controller’s site). The same areas complaining the loudest about wealth redistribution BENEFIT from the wealth of blue areas coming their way. Chicago money funds a SIGNIFICANT part of Illinois. Take Chicago out and watch Peoria, Bloomington, Champagne, and farming towns/communities (that rely on Chicago residents to buy their goods) suffer. If we had another civil war, the south would RELEARN the same lesson about the power of northern industrialism.
If we all stopped trashing “other” communities and see how we all NEED each other (I’m a city girl from a country/farming family who has an appreciation for both), we’d get somewhere.
Marín:
Standing up against unjust laws is not the same thing as standing up for laws that protect our nation.
https://apnews.com/article/peru-gianfranco-23-killings-immigration-murder-9ba446c26cde81e48396a30a7a687bba
Cynthia-
Problem is, the SAME argument was used before: slavery and segregation were to “protect” our nation from the “ills” of race mixing and the “savagery” of Black people. Preserving the right to vote for white male landowners was to “protect” the interests of those who are truly invested in this nation. Go read the signs and speeches of those who were against integration, abolition and expanding citizenship and the right to vote. SAME “protect the nation” language everywhere.
And some do find aspects of our immigration laws to be unjust.
Marín:
You speak of the past. I am speaking of the present.
“And we must remember the names of some of the Americans who have been murdered at the hands of illegal aliens who should have never been let into this country: Rachel Morin of Maryland, raped and murdered by an illegal alien from El Salvador last year; Laken Riley of Georgia, murdered in February by an illegal alien from Venezuela; Jocelyn Nungaray, a Texas 12-year-old raped and strangled by two illegal Venezuelan migrants in June.
All their blood is on the vice president’s hands.” https://nypost.com/2024/08/18/opinion/harris-cant-duck-the-human-toll-of-her-dismal-border-record/
Never find yourself on the wrong side of this debate, Marin. As a believer, we need to uphold our laws and we need to stand for the safety of our American brothers and sisters. If you feel the need to defend illegal immigration, you will need to find a way to speak to the families of those who have been murdered by those you let in.
The problem with all the populists on the left and right decrying globalization, is that they completely ignore the Law of Comparative Advantage in Economics. The protectionist and trade policies of Trump are no different that Biden’s (or Dick Gephart’s and earlier politicians for that matter). I suggest people read up on economics and get back to us.
https://reason.com/2024/07/19/biden-and-trump-are-pushing-the-same-failed-trade-policies/