Hispanic Christian Officials Advocate More Open Immigration Policies

on September 28, 2015

On September 23, The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), the world’s largest Christian Hispanic Organization welcomed Pope Francis to the United States with requests for loosened U.S. immigration policies.

NHCLC President Dr. Samuel Rodriguez joined President Barack Obama in welcoming Pope Francis at the White House reception last week. Rodriguez also participated with the NHCLC as it held a conversation at the National Press Club on faith and immigration reform.

“Obama reminded us of a city on a hill,” said Tony Suarez, the moderator of the press conference. “’If the city must have walls, let it have doors’. What we have is a door problem.”

This introduction set the tone for the conference, which discussed concern for America’s alleged resentment toward and unwillingness to accept immigrants – a cultural attitude which lends itself to legislation not salutary to the foreigner.

Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum also offered perspective on American attitudes towards immigrants. “It all boils down to a simple debate,” said Noorani. “Do you believe in and do you support mass deportation? That’s where some candidates would like to take this debate. However, faith leads many people to realize that they do not support mass deportation, but that they support compassion. So if you don’t support mass deportation, what is your solution?”

The argument that Mexican immigration will hurt the economic standing of the black community was addressed by Bishop Harry Jackson Founder of Higher Impact Leadership Coalition and The Reconciled Church.

“Undocumented immigrant workers are the new slavery,” charged Jackson, “Equal footing will create justice. Morality is colorblind.”

John Hewitt, CEO of Liberty Tax Services purported that the American virtue of capitalism is fully in line with supporting immigration reform. “America is great because it is a melting pot and because it fosters capitalism,” said Hewitt. “In my experience, minorities are better workers and better performers.”

Rodriguez expressed his disgust with Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump’s opinions regarding immigrants, particularly those from Mexico, which the NHCLC President asserted were “un-Christian”.

“I don’t think Donald Trump is racist,” said Rodriguez. “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt there. I do think he’s an entertainer.”Jackson echoed Rodriguez’s opinion: “We need to understand that politicians are like street walkers. They want people to buy what they’re selling and they don’t care who it is. They’ll do anything for you to buy them.”

Rodriguez went on to note that he believes the visit of a Latin American Pope to the United States shortly after Trump’s comments could be “Heaven’s pushback.”

As the conference progressed, Rodriguez grew more passionate about the need for action to achieve the goal of immigration reform.

“We need to rebuke the idea that this [immigration reform] is not doable, but it requires Christians to fight hateful political rhetoric,” said Rodriguez referring to columnist Ann Coulter. “We cannot be silent; we must call the news outlets and confront them.”

At the end of the conference, all participants joined hands as Southern Baptist Pastor Ed Stetzer led the room in prayer to a God who he believes offers sanctuary to those seeking refuge.

  1. Comment by Swarrior on September 28, 2015 at 9:02 pm

    No , it all boils down to this:

    Do we support mass uncontrolled and illegal immigration?
    Does the United States of America have borders?
    IS the USA a country?
    Does the USA have an immigration policy?
    Does the USA have immigration laws?
    Do we want a permanent underclass of illegals living in the shadows for big business and industry to exploit?

    The US has the most generous immigration policy in the entire world. WE allow more LEGAL immigration than any other nation. Approximately 1 million (+ an additional couple hundred thousand) per year, every year, for decades now. Our legal immigration system is based on law. There will always be more who want to immigrate to the US than we allow through our immigration laws. Demand will always exceed capacity, even with our very generous immigration laws currently in place.

    Pew conducted a study recently and found that approximately 100 million people throughout the world would immigrate to the US immediately if they could. That’s just at one point in time, imagine if we had true open borders. America’s population would triple in a very short time.

    My point is that our immigration laws will ALWAYS allow less immigration than what is in demand. Hence why illegal immigration is a problem. So the question is, does amnesty really solve the problem of illegal immigration. If amnesty is granted to millions every time it is demanded, illegal immigration will always be a problem. Because people will just continue to illegally immigrate.

    So if you really care about illegal immigrants and the fact that they are living in the shadows, have no representation, lack access, etc. Then you must support enforcement of immigration law , the only way to prevent millions of illegals living in the shadows.

  2. Comment by rt90k on November 22, 2015 at 11:44 pm

    The “National HISPANIC Christian Leadership Conference” President Dr. Samuel Rodriguez has absolved Donald Trump of racism, declaring Trump an “entertainer”. That sounds disingenuous and contemptuous. Then Dr. Rodriguez follows with an attack on Ann Coulter. Of course any minority is deemed incapable of racism or hate speech. And of course Dr. Rodriguez stands on the same biblical authority as his idol Barack Obama in his somewhat disguised open borders campaign.

  3. Comment by Ron Woodard on June 20, 2016 at 10:22 am

    How is it that Hispanic illegal immigrants MUST come to the USA, but apparently the safe and prosperous countries in the area of Panama and Costa Rica to name a few (and these are Spanish speaking nations) are somehow not adequate? It’s about a political agenda for the NHCLC and about economic migrants who mostly just want to make more money, while ignoring the consequences and harm done to low-skilled Americans due to mass legal and illegal immigration overwhelmingly comprised of low-skilled immigrants competing for jobs and using government public services that are not unlimited.

The work of IRD is made possible by your generous contributions.

Receive expert analysis in your inbox.