Comprehensive Immigration

Reform

• How is the system broken?• Who can fix it?• What can I do?

“The Legal Way”

Employment-Based

Immigration

Family-Based Immigration

Diversity Lottery

Refuge / Asylum

140,000 Permanent Resident Visas Annually

– Primarily for immigrants with “extraordinary ability” and “holding advanced degrees”

– Not an option for the vast majority of immigrants

Employment-Based

Immigration

55,000 refugees annually– For those fleeing persecution for reason of

• Race• Religion• National origin• Political opinion• Membership in a particular social group

– Not for those fleeing• Economic hardship• Environmental or natural disasters

– Determination of refugee / asylee status can be tied to U.S. political interests and foreign policy

Refugees / Asylees

50,000 visas issued annually– Must have high school education or two-

years professional experience to apply– Odds of winning the 2009 lottery were 1

in 182– No Visa Lottery for

• Mexico, the Philippines, India, China, Canada, Haiti, El Salvador, England, South Korea, and Poland, among others

Diversity Lottery

At least 226,000 Permanent Resident Visas annually

– A citizen or LPR can petition for their:• Spouse• Unmarried children• Parents• sibling

– No other family relationships qualify (grandparents, uncles, cousins, in-laws, etc.)

Family-Based Immigration

• Forget it if you:– Were here illegally (10 year bar)– Have committed a crime (retroactive)– Have falsely claimed citizenship (even

accidentally)– ever in any way provided “material

support” to a “terrorist organization” (even under duress)

No legal way

Statistics and Graphic from the Pew Hispanic Center, March 2006

Oh, the myths!

• Myth: Immigrants don’t pay taxes.– Social Security says it holds $420 billion from

undocumented.

• Myth: Immigrants come here for welfare.– Undocumented / temporary workers are not eligible

• Myth: Immigrants drain the US economy.– Net gain for federal economy (some loss for local

economies)

• Myth: Immigrants don’t want to learn English.– Within 10 years, 75% are English speakers

• Myth: The war on terrorism can be won through restricting immigration.– Our immigrant-targeted security efforts have netted no

terrorism prosecutions.

Mode of Entry of Undocumented Immigrants

Unlawful Visa-

Overstayers45%

Unlawful Border

Crossers55%

Thinking faithfully about immigration

• Identity of humans• Immigrants in the Bible• Commands in the Bible• Code of hospitality• Law abiding

Image of God

• Gen 1:26-27, “Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, in our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”– Worth– Potential to contribute

Biblical migrants

• Abraham• Isaac• Jacob• Joseph• Naomi, Ruth

•Daniel•Ezra•Nehemiah•Esther•Jesus•Early church

God’s law

• Outsiders (alien, orphan, widow) were vulnerable– Food– Fair and timely wage– Fair legal proceedings– Participation in religious practices

• Remember your history• Display the heart of God

Hospitality

• Called to show to strangers (not friends) - Luke 14:12-14

• Called to reflect Christ - “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)

• Good Samaritan – it was the “outsider” who was the hero, neighbor. (Luke 10)

Rule of Law

• Romans 13, “…everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities” since “the authorities that exist have been established by God.”

• Acts 5, “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority…’”

Comprehensive Immigration Reform

• Enforcement! (That is humane)• Reform family-based system (waiting times)• A process immigrant workers to earn

citizenship (upon satisfaction of specific criteria)

• Expand ways for workers and families to enter and work in a safe and legal manner (with rights protected)

• Address the root causes of migration (economic disparities)

So what.

• Learn– www.crcjustice.org (issue: immigration)

• Teach– Sunday school curriculum, book studies,

film discussions, etc.

• Speak– Comprehensive Immigration Reform