World Relief Minnesota

by Matthew Soerens (World Relief DuPage office)

This morning (Tuesday Dec 16), Congressman Gutierrez introduced a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill in the House of Representatives.  The bill “CIR ASAP Act” (the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act) fits very well with the principles of CIR that World Relief and the National Association of Evangelicals are very actively advocating.  

Three years ago when similar legislation was introduced, legislators were swamped with repeated calls and emails by a relatively small group of committed individuals opposed to the legislation, and they effectively shut down the debate.  This time, we need those of us who are supportive to call, email, and fax – and to spread the word to others.  

So please stop, take literally 30 seconds, and click on this link to send a free fax right now: Tell your Members of Congress to support immigration reform.  Please also post this to your facebook, twitter, etc., and spread the word amongst your friends and family!

Then, if you have two minutes more, call your member of Congress to ask him or her to “Please support the ‘Comprehensive Immigration Reform ASAP Act’ that was just introduced.”  Our website has maps that can help you figure out who your Representative is: http://worldrelief.org/Page.aspx?pid=2068.  

Finally, please be in prayer as this bill gets introduced, that in the coming weeks and months it and a companion bill in the Senate will pass.

I was a stranger, and you invited me in … Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in? … And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to me” – Matthew 25:35-40

In my work with World Relief Minnesota, these verses have taken on more meaning. The refugee certainly is included in the category of the stranger.

When Jesus is asked, what is the greatest commandment in the Law, He responds by saying love the Lord with all you being, and the second is like it “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Do see refugees as our neighbor? Or do we carefully restrict our definition of neighbor to those most like us?

Can you imagine living under these conditions for 5, 10, or 15 years? Somalis have been fleeing their homeland due to a civil war thats been waged since the early 1990s. The U.S. had a relatively short-lived presence in Somali – remember the movie “Blackship Down”? I’m not suggesting that the U.S. engage in another war, but isn’t there something more we can do than walk away from a people in such great need? Perhaps God has found a solution…a diaspera that is perserving the Somali people in the far reaches of the world – even in Minnesota.

From UNHCR

Dadaab is now the biggest refugee complex in the world – home to a staggering 290,000 people from neighbouring Somalia. With renewed fighting, severe drought and a worsening food crisis in their homeland, more than 7,000 Somalis are crossing into Kenya every month, many of them undernourished and exhausted.

UNHCR colleagues working in the settlement describe the situation as “dire”. Every email and photograph coming from the field tells a story of wretched poverty and chronic overcrowding.

Below are links to press coverage of the resolution, video of Senate testimony, and media coverage following the National Association of Evangelicals’ resolution on comprehensive immigration reform (October 8, 2009)

NAE Board resolution

Press release announcing resolution

Resolution endorsements

Leith’s Senate testimony (video)

Leith’s Senate testimony (written submission)

George Wood’s video on AGTV

Roy Taylor’s article

Associated Press: Evangelicals call for immigration reform

Baltimore Sun: Evangelicals pushing immigration overhaul

Christian Post: NAE Takes Strong Pro-Immigration Reform Stance

Talk Radio News Service: Evangelical Leader Mum On Whether Health Care Reform Should Cover Illegal Immigrants

Washington Examiner- Credo: Leith Anderson

Christianity Today: Hispanic Leader Calls Immigration Resolution ‘A Tipping Point’

Carl Nelson, President of GMAE (Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals) wrote the following article after NAE’s recent press release on immigration reform.

I want to share this update with you regarding a national issue that GMAE has had to privelege to participate in. World Relief-Baltimore has also become a leading voice among evangelicals on this matter. The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) is a network of 40 denominations comprising more than 45,000 local churches, plus networks like GMAE, major evangelical seminaries and colleges, and ministries.

Two weeks ago at its biannual board meeting the NAE passed a Resolution on Immigration. A copy of the resolution is attached. GMAE is a member of NAE and I represent us on the NAE board and voted in support of this resolution (there was no dissent).

I believe this is a well-crafted document. Most importantly it is primarily based upon Biblical references and themes that address the issue of immigration. And while “the Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God.” The resolution has been in development for over a year, and it is an attempt to offer policy principles that emerge from Biblical ideas (rather than beginning with a particular ideology and using select scriptures to support it).

Immigration issues are tough issues to deal with, and some people will experience a conflict between their own ideological positions and the Biblical framework espoused here. That has been my own experience. My own political views (which were strongly anti-immigrant 15 years ago) have been challenged – and ultimately changed – as I began to let my personal ideology and political views be shaped and informed by scripture. That is a discomforting metamorphosis to go through.

Essentially the resolution urges Congress to:

recognize the importance of family

treat immigrants humanely

safeguard our borders

ensure workers are treated fairly (not taken advantage of because they are undocumented)

provide a sound, equitable process to address currently undocumented immigrants (est. 12 M) – this is NOT amnesty.

The resolution has generated a lot of press coverage – most of it positive and pleasantly surprised that evangelicals are the first major religious body to put forward such a piece. There are 1 or 2 strongly anti-immigrant Christian groups in the blogosphere that are attacking it, but otherwise positive reactions.

Sincerely,
Carl Nelson

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Immigration remains a topic that garners a variety of reactions even among followers of Jesus. In just a few decades, whites will be a minority in the U.S. regardless of what happens or doesn’t happen with immigration reform. Isn’t it time for the Church, utilizing biblical principles, to be proactive in addressing a social issue that won’t be ignored?

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The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) recently published a document supporting the comprehensive reform of the U.S. immigration program. Here’s a couple of excerpt’s from the resolution [to read the full text follow this link to NAE's website]:

Biblical Foundations
Discussion of immigration and government immigration policy must begin with the truth that every human being is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Immigrants are made in the image of God and have supreme value with the potential to contribute greatly to society. Jesus exemplifies respect toward others who are different in his treatment of the Samaritans (Luke 10:30-37; John 4:1-42).

The Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, but it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God. An appreciation of the pervasiveness of migration in the Bible must temper the tendency to limit discussions on immigration to Romans 13 and a simplistic defense of “the rule of law.” God has established the nations (Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26), and their laws should be respected. Nevertheless, policies must be evaluated to reflect that immigrants are made in the image of God and demonstrate biblical grace to the foreigner.

Call to Action
Motivated by the desire to offer a constructive word for the country’s complicated immigration situation and guided by the Scripture, the National Association of Evangelicals calls for the reform of the immigration system. We believe that national immigration policy should be considerate of immigrants who are already here and who may arrive in the future and that its measures should promote national security and the general welfare in appropriate ways. Building upon biblical revelation concerning the migration of people and the values of justice and compassion championed in For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility, we urge:

That immigrants be treated with respect and mercy by churches. Exemplary treatment of immigrants by Christians can serve as the moral basis to call for government attitudes and legislation to reflect the same virtues.

That the government develop structures and mechanisms that safeguard and monitor the national borders with efficiency and respect for human dignity.

That the government establish more functional legal mechanisms for the annual entry of a reasonable number of immigrant workers and families.

That the government recognize the central importance of the family in society by reconsidering the number and categories of visas available for family reunification, by dedicating more resources to reducing the backlog of cases in process, and by reevaluating the impact of deportation on families.

That the government establish a sound, equitable process toward earned legal status for currently undocumented immigrants, who desire to embrace the responsibilities and privileges that accompany citizenship.

That the government legislate fair labor and civil laws for all residing within the United States that reflect the best of this country’s heritage.

That immigration enforcement be conducted in ways that recognize the importance of due process of law, the sanctity of the human person, and the incomparable value of family.

Having just started a new job with World Relief Minnesota, I have limited time for blogging while I’m on a steep learning curve. However, I’ve discovered a couple of cool widgets recently and one (AddThis) allows me to directly post links to articles. Here’s an article about refugee resettlement in Minnesota with links to the agencies aiding refugees — including World Relief.

MinnPost – Back to the future: New wave of refugees lacks family connections for support