As Christians...should we help people who are crossing the borders?

Question

Many Illegals die of thirst,dehydration and hunger..should we help them (if we can)?

I don't mean to establish them here in the USA.
But to try to save their lives.

Answer 1

This is a great question.

I think that Jesus was pretty clear about helping the needy, and putting humanity over nationality.

But every day I see Christians protesting illegal immigration, aren't you meant to help the poor?

Answer 2

This is not a simple question, and the answer is, likewise, not simple.

Yes, we should help them out of Their human need (clothing, hunger, thirst. But we should not help them on their way. We are to 'give to Caesar, what is Caesar's'. in this case that would be the obedience to federal immigration law.
We should either make a condition of receiving aid be one of two things:
1. a free ride back to the other side of the border
2. a free ride to the nearest immigration station.

The choice is then thiers to make. if they deny either, then they get no aide.
Please do not throw the Good Samaratin ideea at me, as this man was the Victim, not the criminal (as ALL illegal immigrants are!).

Answer 3

Yes, if we believe that keeping illegals from dying of thirst, dehydration and hunger....we should certainly go and help them have water, shelter and food.

Answer 4

As Christians, we are obligated to obey the laws of the land and to be good citizens. We can help illegals with their necessities to keep them alive, but it is our responsibility also to see that they recieve the consequences for breaking the laws and we do not hire them fo jobs unless it is legal to do so.

(1 Peter 2:13 - 17)
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.{Act} as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but {use it} as bondslaves of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Answer 5

Titus 3:1
"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,..."

1 Peter 2:13
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

According to Paul's, and Peter's writings in the Epistles, by aiding the illegals, we become their accomplices in breaking the laws of our country and States. THAT is not a Christian thing to do.

Answer 6

yes then take them back to mexico there is no magical line at the border one of the reasons the us is a great country is most of us try to follow the law those that are lawless or do not want to follow our laws are not welcome, if they dont understand that and they are allowed to keep crossing the border then the us will be like mexico wouldnt that be nice

Answer 7

Many illegals don't die of anything, they make it safely into the country to become little more than slaves to business owners who use their low wages to make more money. As a christian, I think my duty is to stop this modern form of slavery, but as an American my duty is also to make sure the borders are secure.

Answer 8

This is a great question, and very challenging. On one side, they're breaking the law. But the law is put aside when it is humanitarian to do so, I believe. The patriotic message would be to send them back. The compassionate message would be to help them, seeing as conditions they run from in Mexico are unthinkable even compared to the worst comditions the USA has.

Answer 9

Great question! The Lord wants us to feel love and compassion for those who are in need. He wants us to help those who are in pain, those who are suffering, or hungry. Overall, we are responsible for each other. It is so important, that The Son of Man will judge the Nations according to our actions for one another. The Holy Scriptures say:
..."for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to visit me. Lord, when did we do these things? Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me'" Matthew 25:35-46
But there is something very important. Just like our Lord wants us to obey His Law, The Lord also wants us to obey the Laws of this earth. And entering a Country in an illegal manner is against God's will.
So, in response to your question, the only thing I can suggest is the following: Help those who are in need of food and water and then return them to their country.

Answer 10

God gives us FREEWILL to do as we please. But he does not really want us to break mans laws and illegals coming into this country as just that ILLEGAL.

If we saw a family coming across the desert from Mexico into the US and they were thirsty, God would want us to hand them our drink and even our sandwich.
Then we should excort them back to their country with the advice to look to God for help not the USA.

Answer 11

I'm an atheist so as far as your question is concerned I'm on the outside looking in. However if I did believe in God I would find it hard to imagine that he would put secular law above human life.