Politics
Evangelical Leaders Take on Immigration
By David Brody
CBN News
March 31, 2007
CBNNews.com - WASHINGTON - Sixty-nine people were arrested when immigration agents conducted raids Thursday on the offices of a temporary employment agency and the locations where the agency hired out illegal immigrant workers.
One of those locations included the port of Baltimore, according to authorities.
"Illegal aliens working and having access to our ports is a major security vulnerability," said James Dinkins of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Now the sensitive subject of illegal immigration is back in the spotlight on Capitol Hill.
Behind the scenes, the White House is working with key Republicans and Democrats to forge a compromise bill that will have a better chance of passing Congress this time around.
At a press conference with religious leaders on Thursday, the Bible references were flying as participants headed for higher moral ground. Southern Baptist Convention President Dr. Richard Land appeared alongside Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.
Last year, House Republicans killed a bill that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for nearly 12 million illegals. Kennedy is ready to try again.
"This is a moral issue. It's a moral question. Deeply moral. It's about how we're going to relate to each other," he said.
Kennedy is pushing for what is known as comprehensive immigration reform. Bottom line: he doesn't want law-abiding illegals to be sent home. He believes they should stay providing they meet certain requirements.
And the Democratic senator is getting support from Richard Land, a well respected Christian leader. Land and Kennedy don't agree on much but they do on immigration reform. Land believes the Bible calls for Christians to look beyond how illegals entered the country.
"We also have a Biblical mandate to act compassionately for those that are in need, Matthew 25," Land said. "To love our neighbors as ourselves. Matthew 22. And to do onto others as we would have them do onto us, Matthew chapter 7, verse 12."
Major Evangelical Christian organizations, like Focus on the Family and Family Research Council haven't taken an official stand on the issue. The National Association of Evangelicals admits that their members are split on the issue. They are stuck between the distasteful idea of embracing illegal activity one one hand, and compassion on the other.
Land and other Christian leaders at the press conference believe hard-working illegals deserve grace.
"These people have come here illegally but the difference is, they came here illegally to work whereas our homegrown people who break the law, break the law so they don't have to work." Land said.
Support by prominent Christian leaders is important, but in the end it will come down to the White House convincing enough congressional Republicans to go along. Already, there are signs that the bill this time would make it harder for millions of illegals to gain citizenship, but they would still ultimately get it.
The Bush Administration knows passing an immigration bill will be a battle, but aides say the President wants this in the worst way. Privately, White House staff would like to secure at least one major domestic policy goal before the President leaves office in the next two years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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