Religious Americans: What is your position on immigration?

Question

What, if anything, do you think should be changed in respect to the immigration policy/naturalization process currently practiced by the federal government?

Note: This question is directed toward people of faith to gain spiritual perspective on the issue.

Answer 1

Well I think there are several things, but i will list two on here. I never mix politics and religion if i can help it. It causes alot of problems.

1. Someone born here is automatically a citizen.

All the illegals use this policy to try and keep themselves here. When a woman crosses the border illegally and has a baby she can request a birth cretificate that says the baby is American. That infuriates the snot out of me, and is totally wrong. I have heard the government is TRYING to stop this by repealing this policy, and I hope they do. From a spiritual aspect I see it when somone crosses the border illegally they are going against what God said about lying, stealing, coveting, not respecting governments since God has put them in placealong with their laws.

2. Open border/Nafta is a big farce if i ever saw one. All this does is allow for people to come in and undercut our economy, wages, and culture. If you have never heard of milticulturalism you should really look it up. What multiculturalism is is when different cultures come into America and do not intergrate like previous immigrants did. The prime example now is the Mexicans, and the Arabs. they keep their own communities, language, etc, and don't try and become part of the American community. Then the NAFTA sends our jobs south of the border where a person does a job that might cost 12.00 an hr here for 5.00 there. Spiritually these undercut our religious strength by causing hardships on people and those hardships can transfer to our religious walk. Below are just a few links, I am sure you could find more dealing with religion etc.

God Bless
Chris

Answer 2

My belief is that this country was founded upon immigration. I have absolutely no problem with immigrants who come here legally. I think something has to be done about illegal immigrants and here is my reasoning.

1. It is the right of any country to be concerned over the resources and welfare of existing citizens and resident aliens to decide who can and cannot come into a country.

2. People who sneak into a country illegally are targets for exploitation and crime. Especially the "coyotes" who charge exhorbitant fees and then abuse, abandon, or murder their charges.

3. It isn't fair to those who went through all the red tape and played by the rules to get in to allow illegals to stay.

I know that people say that we would not have necessary workers without the illegal immigrants. I don't buy it. We would just have to pay citizens and legal immigrants more money to do those jobs. And anyone who says Americans won't work has never seen the show "dirty jobs." If there are people who'll do those jobs, there are people who'll do anything. Also, if it does turn out that we need more workers, all we have to do is allow more people in.

What I'm saying is, you are welcome here as long as you play by the rules. I think that's what's fair.

Answer 3

Well, in a Biblical sense, I believe it is okay. Don't have the verse right now but Jehovah instructed the Israelites to let the foreigners live among them as long as they adopted the ways of the Israelites. I believe if people come to this country they should abide by our laws, etc.

However, I am somewhat conflicted on this issue because of the news stories lately exposing how Al Qaeda has been exploiting the border between the U.S. and Mexico and infiltrating gangs and using that as a way to both come into the United States and smuggle things in.

Faith wise, not problem with it.......Terrorism wise.....I don't know.

I am really not meaning to offend anyone with this answer but it is a real concern.

Answer 4

Being from a border town and being married to someone who is not a u.s citizen I have seen this issue from both sides. I will tell you, weekend after weekend I would go out to a field next to my house and pick up dozens of garbage bags full of trash( from baby diapers, to needles, to clothes to used tampons.) This is a normal occurence all over cochise county, where I am from. My friend was jumped for his car by a couple of illegal immigrants. Not all illegal immmigrant are violent, we had a couple knock on our window for some water and food( we gave them some water and pizza and called our neighbor who is a border patrol agent. Mexico needs to take action, and employers need to stop hireing illegal immigrants no matter if it is cheaper labor. I was there when we had multiple protests in Tucson about immigration. The thing is that they were waving Mexican flags, I am all for being proud of where you come from, but if you want to become an american citizen, learn the language and the culture( not asking to forget your language and culture, just learn english as well.) It takes alot of time and money to become a u.s. citizen, but if you really want to, and you are patient you can do it, my husband is doing it.

Answer 5

so a approaches as i understand, maximum religions require you to stay with the regulation of the land the place it does not contradict that faith. The non secular place would desire to consequently be for enforcement of immigration regulations. unlawful extraterrestrial beings particularly may well be religiously prohibited, being for sure in contradiction of the regulation of the land. so a approaches as criminal immigration is going, i do no longer see any non secular relevance. those are the only subject concerns I see. different than consistent with possibility something approximately assisting human beings in want, yet there is sufficient human beings in want in one's very own united states of america devoid of ever having to handle outsiders. in reality there is probable a case for attending on your person community first. comer59: so which you does no longer shy away terrorists and different criminals? The immigration technique is in place precisely to maintain a number of those folk out.

Answer 6

Why is Religion and Immigration any type tied together? Every peron on this page that says that they should be gone is a hipocrite because their grand parents or great grandparents came here for a better life and its ok for you but not them. Your Grandparents probibly didn't speak the language. Also THEY WANT TO BE LEAGLE but the govenment makes it next to impossible to let them. All they are looking for is a better life (isnt that the christian way to accept and help others less fortunate)and to say they are more acceptable to crime. Thats due to poverty level not what race they are. I JUST DONT GET WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY.

Answer 7

Legal immigration is fine, however, people who immigrate and wish to become American citizens must assimilate into our society. They must learn the language and adopt the customs of our country. If they wish to remain true to their former country and it's customs, they should stay there. Illegal immigration should be stopped completely. The Bible is very definite about people needing to obey the laws of the government. If they are entering the country illegally, they are not obeying the law.

Answer 8

I think immigration is fine. As long as it's done legally. People should be allowed to gain entrance into our country, be required to speak our language, get a job, contribute to social security and pay their taxes.

Illegal immigrants should be sent home with information on how to enter this country legally...even if they have a baby here.

Answer 9

I know they want a better way of life for themselves and their families, but I feel that alot of them are going to run afoul of our legal system, and that's going to prove to be a monster backlash for them. The ones who speak no English-wow. I do believe there's a rough road ahead for them. I just hope that homegrown American's don't start any crap with them just to get them deported. Illegal or not, they're human beings and have to feed their women and children, too. It's just a damn shame that their own country can't get its collective, political priorities straight and come into the civilized world.

Answer 10

People without an understanding of English are hundreds of times more likely to be victims of organized crime and other forms of crime. I think there should be a basic literacy requirement and that aid to those failing it should be provided.

I think that illegal immigration fuels human rights abuses, and must be dealt with in some manner.