Evangelical Officials Unite to Mobilize for Immigration Reform

on June 13, 2012

June 13, 2012
Christian M. Stempert


Photo: Various Evangelical officials gather to promote the new Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT) statement (Bread for the World)

Top evangelical officials held a press conference the morning of Tuesday, June 12, to announce the launch of a major campaign for comprehensive immigration reform. Among the pastors and organizational leaders gathered at the Rayburn House Office Building were Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners, Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, Rev. Leith Anderson of the National Association of Evangelicals, and representatives from Focus on the Family and the National Christian Hispanic Leadership Conference. In addition to those present, more than 140 nationally-recognized Christian leaders have signed on in support of the Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT).

“There are many ordinary days in Washington,” opened Jim Wallis. “I think this is an extraordinary day.” In a written statement of support that he submitted, Jim Daly of Focus on the Family noted that many of the organizations behind the EIT “have some pretty significant differences of opinion in matters of theology and public policy.” The leaders hope that the unification of such traditional conservative groups as Focus on the Family and the Southern Baptist Convention with left-wing organizations like Sojourners will send a message to lawmakers that there is widespread support for immigration reform in congregations on both sides of the aisle. “We call upon members of Congress. We call upon and Administration to take a step of courage, moral courage,” said Stephan Bauman of World Relief. “To rise above the fray, the Left and the Right, the polarization that simply does not need to be there, and create a better life for immigrants.”

“Our nation’s immigration laws have created a moral, economic, and political crisis in America,” said Bauman, reading from the official EIT Statement of Principles. The unnecessary polarization of a basically moral issue “has led to unacceptable political stalemate at the federal level at a tragic human cost. 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”

Noel Castellanos, the CEO of the Christian Community Development Association and one of the leaders of the EIT, announced the launch of a large-scale awareness campaign to be conducted by door-to-door outreach in Florida and central Colorado.  Additionally, the EIT recently launched an ad on Politico and played a short preview of a radio ad that will be aired nationwide.  There will also be a focused effort to bring immigrant and Anglo evangelical Christians together to develop relationships, in what Castellanos described as a “win-win-win scenario.  It’s a win for our communities, our churches, and our country.”

This support for immigration reform has come in large part as a result of various states enacting their own immigration laws due to a lack of federal action and enforcement. According to Dr. Richard Land, these laws are “doing real harm to the social fabric of the nation. And we are absolutely convinced that the country is ahead of its elected leaders in both parties on this issue.”  It is clear that the time has come for immigration reform, said Rev. Gabriel Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, citing a Pew Research poll that says 70 percent of Americans are in favor of immigration reform. “It’s not a question of whether lawmakers are behind us. It’s a question of whether they are behind the American people. And besides,” he added, “there’s never a bad time to do the right thing.”

 

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