Update on Immigration
Matthew Soerens
US Church Training Specialist, World Relief
Field Director, Evangelical Immigration Table
An Update on Immigration
@MatthewSoerens
An Update on Immigration
• Biblical Framework for Engaging Immigration
• Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
• Executive Action on Immigration
• Resources to Engage Immigration
A Missional Opportunity
@MatthewSoerens
A Missional Opportunity
•Jesus commands us to “make disciples of every nation”
(Matthew 28:19)
•With immigration, the nations arrive at our doorstep,
representing an enormous missional opportunity
•Many are already strong believers, who become agents of mission
within their own ethnic communities and beyond
•Others arrive with a nominal faith or from entirely unreached
people groups and are much more open to the gospel than they
might be in their home country
A Missional Opportunity
@MatthewSoerens
A Missional Opportunity
“86% of the immigrant population in North America are likely to
either be Christians or become Christians. That’s far above the
national average…The immigrant population actually presents the
greatest hope for Christian renewal in North America… This group
that we want to keep out is actually the group that we most need for
spiritual transformation… We shouldn’t see this as something that
threatens us. We should see this as a wonderful opportunity.”
- Dr. Timothy Tennent
Missiologist & President, Asbury Theological Seminary
A (Missed) Missional Opportunity
@MatthewSoerens
A Missional Opportunity
• But many evangelical Christians are missing this missional
opportunity
• That may be because most white evangelicals say that immigration
“threatens traditional American customs and values” (Pew Research Center, April
2013)
• Most churches in the US do not have any sort of ministry or ministry
partnership focused on immigrants
(LifeWay Research, November 2014)
• And, as a likely effect, fully 60% of those from non-Christian religious
traditions in the U.S.—most of them immigrants—say they do not know
any Christians (Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon-Conwell Seminary, 2013)
A Biblical Blind Spot
@MatthewSoerens
A Biblical Blind Spot
• By their own admission, most Christians do not think about
immigration from a biblical perspective
• Just 9% of all Protestant Christians and 12% of white evangelicals say
that their views on immigration are primarily influenced by their
Christian faith (Pew Forum Survey, September 2010)
• Why? Perhaps because just 20% of Protestant Christians (and 16% of
white evangelicals) have heard about immigration from their pastor or
other clergy (Pew Forum Survey, September 2010)
A Biblical Blind Spot
@MatthewSoerens
But That’s Not because the Bible is Silent on the Topic
•
Ger, the Hebrew word closest to “immigrant” in English, appears 92
times in the Old Testament
•
Fundamentally, God’s people are called to love and seek justice for
immigrants because we are to follow God’s example
•
The Lord your God is the God of all gods and Lord of all lords,
the great, mighty, and awesome God who doesn’t play favorites
and doesn’t take bribes. He enacts justice for orphans and
widows, and he loves immigrants, giving them food and
clothing. That means you must also love immigrants
(Deuteronomy 10:17-19 CEB)
A Biblical Blind Spot
@MatthewSoerens
Christians are called to hospitality (philoxenia, literally, the
love of strangers)
• Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13 NIV)
• Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,
sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach… (1
Timothy 3:2 ESV)
• I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you
gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in… Truly
I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and
sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:35-36, 40 NIV)
• Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people
have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2 NIV)
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
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Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
• By last June, more than 50,000 minor immigrants had arrived
unaccompanied at the U.S.-Mexico border, far more than in other years
• Most of these children and teenagers came from Honduras, El Salvador,
and Guatemala
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
“Push” Factors Why Minors Come
• While the reasons for the “surge” of arrivals are varied, several factors
include
• Dramatic levels of gang-related violence in Central America
• Honduras has the highest homicide rate in the world, higher than
the civilian casualty rate in Iraq at the height of the insurgency
• Guatemala and El Salvador are also in the top 5 for homicide
• Gangs recruit young people in particular, threatening to harm or kill
those who will not join
• Poverty, Deprivation, and Child Abuse/Neglect
• Family Reunification
• Recruitment by Smugglers/Traffickers
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Once to the U.S.
• The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), passed
with broad support in 2008 and signed by President Bush, governs
treatment of “unaccompanied alien children”
• Unaccompanied minors from “non-contiguous” countries are to be
turned over by the Department of Homeland Security to the Department
of Health and Human Services within 72 hours
• HHS is responsible for ensuring the best interest of the child while
awaiting a hearing
• Most are sent to a children’s detention center/group home, usually operated
by contracted non-profit organizations
• Eventually, most can be placed with relatives while awaiting court date
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Early Summer 2014
• Because of the unprecedented number of arrivals, the government’s
infrastructure could not keep up, and children were “warehoused” due to
insufficient capacity
Photo by Ross D. Franklin, Getty Images
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Processing Unaccompanied Minors
• Unaccompanied Minors eventually go before an Immigration Judge
• Permanent legal status may be granted if the child proves he or she
• Has a legitimate claim to asylum
• Is a victims of human trafficking
• Cannot possibly be reunited with a parent (orphans, neglect, etc.)
• Unaccompanied minors are not entitled to an attorney under the law
• Those who are unrepresented are ordered deported in 90% of cases
• Those with an attorney are eligible to stay in about 50% of cases
• Only 1 in 3 this year have had access to an attorney
• Wait for a court hearing can be months or even years, and some abscond
without ever showing up for court
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
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Public Response
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
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Public Response
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Public Response
• With unaccompanied minors in the headlines, responses were polarized
• Many, including many churches and faith-based organizations (including
the Salvation Army) applied to partner with the federal government to
care for the children
• Others protested, seeing unaccompanied minors as a public safety or
public health threat
• The House of Representatives passed legislation to more quickly deport
children, without current screenings required by the TVPRA, but Senate
never passed legislation
• Funding was diverted within Dept. of Health and Human Services from
Refugee Resettlement programs to fund care for Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Misconceptions
• “Surge of arrivals was caused by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals”
(DACA) program
• Unaccompanied minors do not qualify for DACA
• Only 2% surveyed by UNHCR cited “changes to immigration policy” as a
reason why they came
• Increase in arrival of unaccompanied minors began before DACA was
announced in 2012, and peaked nearly 2 years after its implementation
• “Crisis was evidence of a porous border”
• While our borders are not fully secure, unaccompanied children were, in
most cases, surrendering to Border Patrol immediately upon arrival
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Crisis Over?
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Crisis Over?
• Possible Reasons for Decline in Arrivals of Unaccompanied Minors
• With resources and pressure from US, Mexico is stopping many more
Central American immigrants from crossing its border
• US has funded public relations campaigns in Central America urging
children not to attempt journey
• US has prosecuted several major human trafficking/smuggling networks
• Obama Administration refocused resources to speed up processing of
unaccompanied minors, implementing “first in, first out” policy for
hearings before Immigration Judges
Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
@MatthewSoerens
Current Status
• Unaccompanied children are still being cared for by federally-contracted
non-profit organizations and, in many cases, by parents or other relatives,
while awaiting court dates
• While numbers are down to normal levels, unaccompanied immigrant
children continue to arrive
• Legal framework remains essentially unchanged for responding to
unaccompanied minors
• Fundamental situations of gang violence, family separation, and human
trafficking in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala remain
• Polarized public response in the US has made immigration reform proposals
more challenging, revealing a divided population and a divided church
Immigration Policy & Politics
@MatthewSoerens
Executive Action
• Background
• Since at least 2001, Congress has debated “Comprehensive
Immigration Reform” which would essentially:
• Make it harder to immigrate illegally by increasing border security and
enforcement of laws against visa-overstayers
• Make it easier to immigrate legally by changing employer- and familysponsored visa opportunities
• Require and allow those present unlawfully to earn permanent legal status if
they pay fines, pass criminal background checks, and meet other
requirements during a probationary period
• Separate legislation, the “DREAM Act,” has specifically addressed
situation of immigrants who came to the U.S. as children
Immigration Policy & Politics
@MatthewSoerens
Timeline of Recent U.S. Immigration Policy Debate
• 2006: Comprehensive Immigration Reform passes Senate; never taken up
by the House
• 2007: Comprehensive Immigration Reform fails in Senate
• December 2010: DREAM Act passes House; fails in Senate
• June 2012: President Obama instructs Department of Homeland Security to
offer “Deferred Action” to certain individuals who would have qualified for the
DREAM Act
• June 2013: Senate passes bipartisan Comprehensive Immigration Reform
bill; never taken up by the House
• November 2014: President Obama expands “Deferred Action” to certain
parents of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents
Immigration Policy & Politics
@MatthewSoerens
Evangelical Response
The Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform
As evangelical Christian leaders, we call for a bipartisan solution on
immigration that:
• Respects the God-given dignity of every person
• Protects the unity of the immediate family
• Respects the rule of law
• Guarantees secure national borders
• Ensures fairness to taxpayers
• Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those
who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents
www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com
Immigration Policy & Politics
@MatthewSoerens
Signatories
Leith Anderson, National Association of Evangelicals
Gary Benedict, Christian and Missionary Alliance
Noel Castellanos, Christian Community Development Association
Matt Chandler, Acts 29 Network
Jim Daly, Focus on the Family
Russell Moore, Southern Baptist Convention Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission
Doug Nuenke, The Navigators
Luis Palau, Luis Palau Association
John Perkins, CCDA/Perkins Foundation
William Roberts, The Salvation Army
Wilfredo De Jesus, New Life Covenant Church (Chicago, IL)
Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian
Leadership Conference
Tony Evans, Oak Cliff Fellowship (Dallas, TX)
Philip Ryken, Wheaton College
Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church
Gabriel Salguero, National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Ronnie Floyd, Southern Baptist Convention
Mat Staver, Liberty University/Liberty Counsel
Bill Hamel, Evangelical Free Church
Rich Stearns, World Vision
Alec Hill, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Ed Stetzer, LifeWay Research
Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, IL) Joseph Stowell, Cornerstone University
Jim Liske, Prison Fellowship
Timothy Tennent, Asbury Theological Seminary
Max Lucado, author
Gary Walter, Evangelical Covenant Church
Jo Anne Lyon, Wesleyan Church
George Wood, Assemblies of God
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Deferred Action
• An exercise of “prosecutorial discretion” by the Department of Homeland
Security, based on the reality that Congress has not appropriated sufficient
funds to deport all of those who are currently “deportable”
• Used by almost every Administration since Eisenhower, but never on such a
large scale
• Is not permanent legal status (a “green card”) or a path to citizenship
• But does “defer” deportation and make individual eligible for Employment
Authorization, allowing them to apply for a valid Social Security card, a
Driver’s License (in most states), and (in limited cases) travel authorization
• Entirely discretionary, meaning it could be revoked at any time by the current
Administration or by any future Administration
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
• Announced June 2012; Expansion announced November 2014
• Allows Deferred Action to be granted to individuals who:
• Arrived in the U.S. prior to their 16th birthday
• Have graduated from high school, are in school, or have been discharged
honorably from the military
• Were present in the U.S. on June 15, 2007
• As of February 2015, this date changes to January 1, 2010
• Have not been convicted of certain crimes or are otherwise a public safety
or national security threat
• Were born on or after June 16, 1981
• As of February 2015, this requirement will be eliminated
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
• Deferred Action and Employment Authorization are now granted for 3
years
• May be renewed at discretion of Homeland Security
• Must be 15 years old to apply (unless in removal proceedings)
• Filing fee of $465, with no fee waivers
• Application requires evidence of qualifications
• Evidence of continuous presence in the U.S.
• Evidence of high school graduation, current enrollment in school, or
military service
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA)
• Announced November 2014
• Will begin implementation May 2015
• Allows Deferred Action to be granted to individuals who:
• Have (as of Nov. 20, 2014) a child who is a U.S. citizen or Lawful
Permanent Resident (of any age)
• Were present in the U.S. on June 1, 2010
• Have not been convicted of certain crimes or are otherwise a public safety
or national security threat
• Deferred Action and Employment Authorization will be granted for 3
years, then must be renewed (at discretion of Homeland Security)
• Expected $465 filing fee, with no fee waivers
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Advice for Potential Applicants
• No applications for DAPA (parents of Americans) can be submitted
before May 2015
• Beware notarios and other unauthorized practitioners of law
• Save up money and gather documentary evidence
• Birth certificates (or adoption decrees) for citizen children
• Birth certificates, passports or consular ID for applicants
• Evidence of presence in the U.S.
• Rent receipts, rental agreements, or utility bills
• Tax returns
• School or medical records, etc.
• Get final court dispositions or FBI rap sheets for any criminal issues
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Authorized Legal Services Assistance
• Individuals should only take legal advice from:
• Immigration Attorneys (members of the American Immigration
Lawyers Association – www.aila.org)
• Accredited staff of non-profit organizations recognized by the Board
of Immigration Appeals (BIA)
• World Relief has BIA-recognized programs in Chicago (Albany
Park), Wheaton, and Aurora, IL (www.worldrelief.org)
• The Immigration Alliance equips and mobilizes churches and
Christian organizations to become BIA-recognized
(www.TheImmigrationAlliance.org)
Executive Action
@MatthewSoerens
Authorized Legal Services Assistance
• Directory of BIA-recognized sites at
http://theimmigrationalliance.org/find-site/
A Christian Response
@MatthewSoerens
How Should I Respond?
•Prayer
•Listening
•Education
•Advocacy
•Service
•Evangelism
A Christian Response
@MatthewSoerens
Discipleship Tools
• At www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com:
• “I Was a Stranger” Bible-Reading Challenge
• The Stranger documentary (40 minutes)
• At www.WelcomingTheStranger.com:
• “Church Leader’s Guide to Immigration”
• “Welcoming the Stranger” Learning Group Guide
A Christian Response
@MatthewSoerens
•
•
•
•
Books
Welcoming the Stranger: Justice,
Compassion and Truth in the Immigration
Debate (InterVarsity Press, 2009), by
Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang
Christians at the Border: Immigration, the
Church, and the Bible (Baker Academic,
2008, 2013), by Daniel Carroll Rodas
Strangers Next Door: Immigration,
Migration and Mission (InterVarsity Press,
2012), by J.D. Payne
Immigration: Tough Questions, Direct
Answers (InterVarsity Press, 2014), by Dale
Hanson Bourke
A Christian Response
@MatthewSoerens
Advocacy Opportunities
• Sign the Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform
• Signed in 2013 by Salvation Army National Commander William
Robertson
• Sign online at www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com
• Call your Member of Congress
• Dial 866-877-5552, enter zip code, and be connected
• Become a “Church Mobilizer” for the Evangelical Immigration Table
• See www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com/apply
Matthew Soerens
msoerens@wr.org
@matthewsoerens