It is no secret that I am pro-immigration. My views are rooted in consistent testimony of Scripture regarding how the people of God are to treat the less fortunate, which includes the foreigner, the poor, and the oppressed. This describes the great majority of immigrants. However, I sometimes fear that the virtue of my cause will devolve into ranting when I hear the rubbish out of the mouths of politicians. Or even worse, I would become self-righteous. That is why I ask Jacque to read before I publish! She has an impressive instinct for detecting sanctimony.
Meanwhile, I seek to learn, reflect, and write about it. Ultimately, I argue that all immigrants should be treated with compassion and grace. I see no other option for the Christian. A good summary Bible verse would be the so-called “Golden Rule.” “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matt 7:12). In this post, I make a case for receiving immigrants based on common sense for the common good. They go well together.
In this post, I mention frequent concerns regarding immigration into the United States. I’ll focus on a few that politicians often exaggerate and outright misrepresent. I consider it my little attempt to push back against misinformation and demonizing narratives that inflame fear and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Nevertheless, I must oversimplify what is complex in so small a space. I have also borrowed from others and have not been given adequate credit in every case.
National Security. This is probably the most legitimate of all immigration concerns. We know the US has enemies who are happy to exploit any weakness. Sending bad actors undetected across porous borders poses a legitimate threat to national security. But the answer is not to demonize desperate people fleeing from poverty and violence. Instead, a common sense combination of enhanced border security measures, comprehensive immigration reform, and international cooperation is necessary. The vast majority of immigrants are either legal or, if they are undocumented, have a legitimate asylum claim. Others are escaping poverty and merely want to provide for their families.
Drugs. This is a serious national health problem that has led to a drug overdose epidemic, killing more than 100,000 Americans a year. Our southern border is a major entry point for illegal drugs, including opioids like fentanyl, which contribute to the ongoing drug crisis in the U.S. However, the drug cartels often use sophisticated methods to transport large quantities of drugs across the border. The lie is that the migrants are bringing fentanyl, the highly addictive opioid behind most lethal overdoses. Most illicit fentanyl is indeed made abroad and smuggled over the southern border. However, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, illegal drugs are primarily transported by U.S. citizens, not migrants. Indeed, about 90% of the fentanyl seized at the border in recent years was at legal crossings, which undocumented migrants generally avoid, and 91% of the seizures were from U.S. citizens, according to Border Patrol data. It’s much easier to transport fentanyl pills or powder in one of the thousands of vehicles that pass through legal ports of entry every day than with the “bedraggled people walking, wading and climbing across the borders.” Immigrants who seek asylum and turn themselves into authorities at the border are “not suitable contraband carriers,” said Josiah Heyman, director of the Center for Inter-American and Border Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. Neither are people who sneak into the country between ports of entry.
Social Security. It has been claimed that undocumented immigrants are getting social security benefits. This is patently false. To qualify for Social Security benefits, individuals must have a valid Social Security number. They must have earned the required number of work credits by paying Social Security taxes through their employment. Undocumented immigrants typically do not have the work authorization or valid Social Security number necessary for this process. Social Security benefits are available only to U.S. citizens and certain legal residents. Undocumented immigrants lacking legal status do not meet this criterion. Instead, undocumented workers actually pay social security taxes despite not being eligible for benefits,
The American Immigration Council reports that undocumented immigrants paid approximately $11.6 billion in state and local taxes in 2013. This includes $7 billion in sales taxes, $1.1 billion in income taxes, and $3.6 billion in property taxes. Additionally, the Social Security Administration estimated that unauthorized workers contributed about $12 billion to Social Security in 2010 through payroll tax deductions (American Immigration Council). These contributions highlight the economic impact of undocumented immigrants and underscore their participation in the U.S. tax system despite their legal status.
Non-Citizen Voting. It is reported that millions of undocumented immigrants are stuffing ballot boxes. According to Politifact, this is a false and baseless claim that has been perpetuated without evidence to back it up. In the United States, voting in federal elections is restricted to U.S. citizens. Non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, are not eligible to vote in federal, state, or local elections. Both federal and state laws establish the requirement for voters to be U.S. citizens. However, some specific localities exist where non-citizens may have limited voting rights in certain local elections. For example, some cities allow non-citizens to vote in school board or municipal elections. However, these instances are rare and specific to certain jurisdictions. To vote in U.S. elections, one must be a registered voter, which generally requires proof of citizenship. States have different requirements, but they typically include providing a Social Security number or a state-issued ID, which undocumented immigrants do not possess. Besides that, the risk is enormous for an undocumented immigrant to commit voter fraud. Not only is voting fraud a felony offense in most states, but it would also result in hefty fines, imprisonment, and deportation. To put it politely, it is a myth that significant numbers of non-citizen immigrants are voting in our elections.
Jobs and the Economy. First, undocumented immigrants are essential to many sectors of the U.S. economy. They fill labor shortages, support economic growth through their spending and tax contributions, and are willing to work in jobs that are critical yet often undervalued. U.S. employers, particularly in agriculture, construction, and service industries, rely on their contributions to maintain productivity and competitiveness. This contrasts with native-born adults, who have made up a slightly smaller percentage of the labor force in recent years because baby boomers are retiring. According to Arthur Sants, who wrote in Investors’ Chronicle, “We’ve been able to achieve large increases in overall employment only because working-age immigrants have been coming to America. If we didn’t have the immigrants, we wouldn’t have the jobs,” Significant limits on the immigrant workforce would increase the national debt and be painful for American taxpayers. A related theme is the call for mass deportation of all undocumented immigrants. Andres Oppenheimer, writing in the Miami Herald, believes that a mass deportation plan would cause an “economic and humanitarian disaster.” Oppenheimer points to economists’ concerns over inflation should such a program come to fruition. “There is no question that America’s immigration system needs to be fixed, and foreign criminals should be extradited,” he writes. “But America badly needs more immigrants to fill existing jobs. Deporting millions of hard-working and tax-paying workers would speed up inflation and make all Americans poorer.”
That’s enough for today. I think I’ve gone over my word limit. Suffice it to say that immigrants are a net blessing for the United States. Citizenship matters, but so does the imago Dei. The Bible’s clear teaching is that a person’s dignity and human rights aren’t dependent upon that person’s political and citizenry status. I’m reminded here of the words of the Old Testament prophet, Micah, in his rebuke to his Israel because they neglected to care for and seek justice for the poor and marginalized. “He has showed you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. (Micah 6:8)