Some basic facts regarding American immigration:
- We have always had “undocumented” people living in the U.S.
- Being “undocumented” is a civil offense equal to a traffic ticket. (So, anyone who has ever gotten a traffic ticket is just as “guilty” of unsocial behavior)
- There is no such thing as an “illegal” person.
- Ever since the 70’s the U.S. birth rate has been less than “replacement” (We have been making fewer babies than the number of people dying).
- In the last 50 years (since the 70’s) the number of undocumented people have been increasing. In terms of pure numbers that is not any definable problem. They provide needed workers, pay taxes and contribute to Social Security.
- In the last 50 years, if 50% (or more) of the undocumented people had come from Europe rather than from central and South America (in other words, had been white people), we would not be having this whole “illegal” problem.
In conclusion, this whole populist, Trumpist ideology regarding undocumented people in “our” country is racism pure and simple.
Love your neighbor. Love your immigrant neighbor.
Our Social Justice Immigration & Refugees Ministry has partnered with an organization called Humane Borders. This organization, motivated by faith and the universal need for kindness, maintains a system of dozens of water stations in the Sonoran Desert on routes used by migrants making the perilous journey to the United States on foot. The primary mission of Humane Borders is to save desperate people from death by dehydration and exposure and to create a just and humane environment in the borderlands. The water stations are established and located with permission from private and public landowners and managers. The water is for everyone–migrants, hikers, and Border Patrol agents. Because we all are human and we all need water to survive.
Where would we be without immigrants?
Historical Notes; Without immigrants like Albert Einstein the “Manhattan Project” would not have happened at all. The first atomic bomb would have been developed by Nazi Germany. We would have lost WWII. Madeline Albright (Secretary of State) came to the U.S from Prague to escape the Nazis. Hedy Lamar (Inventor/Actress) came from Austria. Mary Barra (CEO General Motors) is the granddaughter of Finnish immigrants. Of the five most elite companies ( market cap of $2 trillion +) note that: Apple’s Steve Jobs (son of Syrian immigrant), Google’s Sergey Brin (born in Moscow), Nvidia’s Jenson Huang ( born in Taiwan), and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (got critical first investment from adoptive father, a Cuban refugee). And, of course, we would and perhaps will, suffer without the beautiful labor of millions of farm workers, health care workers and other of our neighbors.
Social Justice Immigration & Refugees Links
For more information about the Immigration & Refugee Ministry, contact Larry Cornelius at: Socialjustice@thepalms.org