National Association of Evangelicals Approves Resolution Supporting Immigration Reform
Washington, D.C. – The Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), representing 40 denominations, scores of evangelical organizations, and millions of American evangelicals, approved a resolution calling for action on immigration reform.
“Our current immigration system is broken,” said Leith Anderson, NAE President. “Efforts to maintain secure and efficient borders have been ineffective and, too often, inhumane. Our visa system for legal immigration is antiquated, bureaucratic, and insufficient to meet both labor force and family reunification needs. Those who want to play by the rules, both employers and employees, often have no realistic options.”
Anderson will also testify at a hearing in the afternoon held by the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship on faith-based perspectives on comprehensive immigration reform.
“Our churches and communities have been blessed by immigrants, many of whom bring strong faith, entrepreneurial energy and traditional family values that strengthen our future,” said Galen Carey, NAE Director of Government Affairs. “At the same time, some of our communities have struggled to cope with the impact of unregulated immigration.”
The NAE resolution recommends that immigration reform respect several fundamental principles, including:
- Immigrants should be treated with respect and mercy.
- National borders must be safeguarded with efficiency and respect for human dignity.
- Immigration laws should recognize the central importance of the family and provide for reduction in backlogs for family reunification.
- There should be a clear and workable system for legally admitting an adequate number of immigrants to meet both workforce and family reunification needs.
- There must be a sound, equitable process for currently undocumented immigrants who wish to assume the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship to earn legal status.
- There should be fair labor and civil laws for all who reside in the United States, reflecting the best of our nation’s heritage.
- Immigration enforcement must recognize due process of law, the sanctity of the human person and the incomparable value of family.
"This resolution will be an important step forward in evangelical advocacy on behalf of immigrants, many of whom are members of evangelical churches across the United States," Carey said.
The NAE further calls on its members, elected officials, and all Americans to participate in the immigration reform debate in a spirit of civility and respect, both for immigrants and for those with whom we may disagree on policy prescriptions.
Roy Taylor, who is the Chairman of the NAE board and the Stated Clerk of the PCA General Assembly, pointed out that, “A number of denominations in the NAE have adopted the immigration resolution. But, in order for it to become an official position of the PCA, the General Assembly would have to adopt it. It has not done so.
"It is also important to point out," Taylor said, "that the NAE is not advocating blanket amnesty to illegal immigrants. The resolution advocates the creation of a process that will lead "toward earned legal status." That is not advocacy of blanket amnesty."
UPDATED: Roy Taylor Elaborates on NAE Immigration Resolution in a followup article.
Comments
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Andrew
Webb
Fayetteville, NC
At this point, it's undeniable that the NAE has become explicitly political, and distressingly liberal. First we had their embrace of global warming, then Richard Cizik's statement "I'm shifting, I have to admit. In other words, I would willingly say that I believe in civil unions" on NPR and now embracing a liberal/progressive political view on immigration.
Why are we still part of this organization? Evangelicalism may once more be taking a left turn, but we don't have to go along with them.
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peter
merkle
pompano beach
Thieves should be punished for their acts,and should not be encouraged to stay in our country,using our educational resources for their children,undercutting our citizens for their wages, and stealing our emergency medical services.
For our church to support these interlopers,most of whom refuse to even learn the English language,is a travesty.
We are all the sons and daughters of immigrants, and legal immigrants go through a process of ensuring their lack of infections,making sure they have a sponsor who will ensure their lodging,etc. These people who are being handed a "pathway to Citizenship" are those who have defied our laws, who make up 10% of our incarcerated inmates,and who have brought us bedbugs and other disease vectors,long thought eradicated from our country.Our church is WRONG.
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Dave
Sarafolean
Michigan
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Ray
Smith
Maryland
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Marvin
Rogers
Tuscaloosa
Christians are bound under Biblical principles to follow the law. One of the drafters of the Westminister Confession of Faith was Samuel Rutherford of Scotland. Rev. Rutherford wrote a book entitled the King and the Law in which he stated that all men are subject to the law, and no one is above the law. Rutherford was brought to trial for treason and convicted. (He died before he was executed.) Rev. Rutherford reminds us to obey our nation's laws.
Illegal immigrants and their supporters undermine one the priniples on which the nation is founded. The church should take a stand against human trafficking, drug trafficking, and organized crime. ri.
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Rodney
Balke
Texas
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Warren
Hill
Hilton Head, SC
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William
Hutchison
103 Adell Place, Prattville, AL 36066
The PCA must get out of the liberal NEA. By encourageing illegal immigration you encougae people to break our laws thus making them criminals. If some do go to evangelical churches, then they can be missionaries or witnessess in their own countries.
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James R.
Carey
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Thank you for standing up sir.