A Faith Perspective on Immigration

Faith Without Borders: A Sacred Co-journeying Towards Just Immigration

Article by Black Alliance for Just Immigration Co-founder, Reverend Kelvin Sauls

Unity on Dignity is our Destiny Human dignity, not political expediency must be the heartbeat of immigration reform in the United States. A human rights framework must be foundational to the development of immigration policy globally. Given the injustice and discrimination experienced by immigrants in the United States, France, Russia, Italy, China, etc, it is no longer acceptable to talk about immigrant rights as separate from human rights. Moreover, the othering of immigrants devalue their sacredness, instead of extending radical hospitality to new neighbors in our homes, communities, and places of work and worship. In a world where

migration willingly and unwillingly has become an integral part of life, welcoming, loving, relating to, being and cojourneying with migrants, are opportunities to receive and experience God. Inter-faith Alliances in this Sacred Task Diverse faith traditions invite us on an extraordinary sacred adventure towards both a just legislation, and human destination. In the Hebrew Scriptures, we witness Gods care and concern for the immigrant. The Old Testament reminds us we are to love and care for the immigrant in the same way we love and care for ourselves (Exodus 22:21-22). Thus, oppression of, discrimination

towards, and exploitation of immigrants are blasphemous! (Leviticus 19:33). Instruction to secure the human rights of immigrants is integral to Gods s u p p o r t f o r th e d ig n ity an d humanity of immigrants. This common humanity requires respect, whether documented or undocumented, citizen or immigrant (Numbers (15:15b). Islams support is found in these words from the Quran, do goodto those in need. Neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer that you meet (4:36). Our brothers and sisters in the Hindu faith are charged with these words from the Taitiriya Unpanishad, The guest is

Scriptures About Immigration

Exodus 23: 9
Dont mistreat foreigner. You were foreigners in Egypt, and you know what it is like.

Levi:cus 19: 33, 34

Deuteronomy 10: 18, 19

Dont mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead treat them as well as you treat ciCzens and love them as much as you love yourself. Remember, you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

The Lord defends the rights of orphans and widows. He cares for foreigners and gives them food and clothing. And you should also care for them, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Mark 12: 31

Love others as you love yourself. No other commandment is more important than these.

a representative of God (1.11.2). Such religious alliances underscore the sacred task of just treatment of immigrants.

Jesus as Refugee Crossing Borders For Christians, the New Testament continues this divine discourse. Thus, for Christians, God chose to become flesh as a migrant in Jesus. Born homeless, dressed in strips of cloth, and laid in a manger with hay as a blanket, Jesus became a refugee to Africa. Political oppression, economic instability, and unsafe conditions forced Joseph to migrate to Egypt with his family. Later in his life, Jesus engages in countless border-crossing activities of healing and wholeness, restoration and reconciliation. Challenging religious complicity to the discrimination and exploitation of immigrants, Jesus introduces a faith without borders. This border-crossing faith finds its incarnation in, among other things, the transformation of unjust laws and the transcendence of unfair borders. Enveloped in vulnerability Invisibility does not and uncertainty, the relocation of I n h i b i t G o d s L o v e Joseph and Mary, plunged Jesus into The vulnerability and insecurity,

the middle of the immigrant and refugee experience! Hence, as one who identifies himself with the immigrant in our midst, he calls on His followers to provide radical hospitality to the least of these (Matthew 25:38-40). Fellowship of Jesus Christ manifests itself in acts of advocacy for the rights of, and serving the needs of the least of these, Affirming the dignity and sacred worth of immigrants afford us the blessing to hear and see the gospel made visible in the stories and lives of immigrants. Discipleship in Jesus Christ is inextricably linked with providing radical hospitality and audacious hope to the least, the last and the left-out. This is a very important aspect of a Christians faithfulness to an immigrant-Savior. A faithfulness displayed in the connectedness of Biblically grounded people of faith to our immigrant brothers and sisters. Such a Christ-like kin-ship cannot be limited, nor regulated by borders.

fragility and fear that accompanied Joseph, Mary and Jesus, are daily companions of immigrants locally and globally. From discrimination and deprivation to detention and deportation, our immigrant brothers and sisters suffer greatly. Intentional violation of worker rights, resulting in exploitation, and indiscriminate federal raids, threatens family unity and stability. These realities force immigrants into invisibility, criminal tendency, and thus, in the shadows of society. Invisibility is sometimes used to encourage, and justify inhumane treatment. Whether invisible or not, God loves the whole world equally (John 3:16a). Moreover, God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in (them). If anyone says, "I love

God," yet hates their brother/sister, they are liars. For anyone who does not love their brother/sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. This is the command given: Whoever loves God must also love their brother/sister (1 John 4:7, 16b-21. A Holistic People-centered Approach Just immigration reform starts with an analysis of the impact of economic globalization and corporatebacked foreign policies of the global North towards the global South. Such analysis will reveal the root causes of why so many migrants are forced to leave their homes whether from rural to cities internally or country to country internationally. Central to just and comprehensive immigration reform is the transformation of unjust global economic and trade policies. Research, through statistics and stories, reveal that debt, trade, environmental and development policies of the West towards former colonies and developing countries cause the unwilling departure of immigrants from their communities. Holistic and just reform must include debt cancellation, workercentered labor policies, and sustainable development! Additionally, the growing militarization of borders and proliferation of privatized detention centers, further increase the suffering and inhumane treatment of immigrants and border communities. Securing borders through the construction of walls, fences and high-tech surveillance systems, continue to the disrespect sacred and sovereign lands of Native Americans, and disregard the human rights of immigrants. Without addressing the root causes of global migration, legislation will deepen division and discrimination. Such legislation has historically proven to be politically short-sighted and morally deficient. Affirming the sacred worth and value, inherent dignity and human rights of all immigrants regardless of their legal status are essential elements of just immigration reform. A Long overdue Race Analysis Black immigrants in the United States continue to be rendered invisible, voiceless and disempowered. The consequences of such strategies are discrimination through profiling, and deprivation from social services. Detention and deportation follow soon and swiftly. D i v i d e - a n d - c o n q u e r, m i s - e d u c a t i o n , a n d misunderstanding continue to be tools of

disempowerment within the African Diaspora in the United States. The opportunity before us is to view the struggle for just and comprehensive immigration as a common struggle for a more equal and fair society. The struggle for equal treatment under the law for immigrants from Africa, Caribbean and the Americas, and African Americans are connected like black on beans. We must refuse the temptation of allowing ourselves to be pitted against each other. It is no longer acceptable to discuss immigrants rights separate from civil and human rights. The immigrant rights movement must urgently join forces with the unfinished agenda of the civil rights movement, to forge a new global human rights movement! Such a movement will possess the power to propel the integrity and possibility of the Mahatma-MartinMandela-message beyond the borders of any one nation. The solidarity we share through Christ eliminates the boundaries and barriers that exclude and isolate. Whether they arrive by plane or boat, over walls or fences, through tunnels or the desert, the sojourners we are called to love are our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters; indeed, they are us. God did not create illegal human beings, nor anchor babies! Leveraging Building Blocks Towards Gods Kin-dom We must organize and mobilize to take out the complex three-headed monster of global migration, immigration and emigration. Mobilizing and strategizing economically, spiritually and politically are critical leveraging building blocks. None of us can afford the arrogance of our ignorance, nor the ignorance of our arrogance. The situation is too dire for such weapons of mass distraction infect us spiritually and affect us socio-politically. The ostrich syndrome of burying our heads in the sand, is not an option any longer! This is the time to sound the alarm for a new political reality. We can no longer afford to hit the snooze button on mutual solidarity and an inextricably linked destiny. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther, Jr., it is possible in history to be too late with the right answers. Jesus broadly inclusive vision of Gods Kin-dom invites us to attain and actualize a faith not limited by, nor defined by borders. Our future depends on it. Our faith demands it!

P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens

And put your faith into action by doing the following things ...

PARTICIPATE: Get involved with an immigrant rights organization in your city or town.
Find out their unique needs, work and serve alongside them to find solutions.

ADVOCATE: Speak up when you hear anti-immigrant slurs and wrong information.
Sign petitions, participate in marches, reach out to your elected officials, and support racial justice organizations and immigrant communities.

EDUCATE: Learn about the growing movement for racial justice and immigrant rights
and share that information. Visit www.blackalliance.org for fact sheets, toolkits and more.
Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) is an education and advocacy group comprised of African Americans and black immigrants from Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean. Our mission is to engage African Americans and other communities in a dialogue that leads to actions that challenge U.S. immigration policy and the underlying issues of race, racism and economic inequity that frame it.

Black Alliance for Just Immigration 1212 Broadway Suite 842 Oakland, CA 94612 Main: (510) 663-2254 Fax: (510) 663-2257

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