Christianity,  Politics

Alan Wisdom on Immigration Reform

I think Alan Wisdom’s analysis of the contentious immigration debate is well worth the read. Writing for The Institute on Religion & Democracy, he advocates for no specific policy. He merely lists items that citizens (in particular Christian citizens) ought to take into account when considering competing proposals for immigration reform. He writes:

Devising an immigration policy is an exercise in trying to strike a prudent balance among competing values, all of which place legitimate moral claims upon us. Such values include: kindness toward the stranger, concern for the poor at home and abroad, upholding the rule of law, providing asylum for the persecuted, sustaining the culture that makes democracy possible, keeping families together when possible, securing the borders against external threats, and environmental and fiscal responsibility. It is not possible to admit everyone who might wish to reside in the United States; hard choices must be made. Even the most carefully conceived immigration policy may have unintended effects.

Read the rest here.

2 Comments

  • RD

    Thanks for posting this insightful article, Denny. He’s right. Immigration reform is a thorny issue and grows more complicated all the time.

  • Larry Geiger

    It’s going to get messy. At one time most immigrants just went somewhere new. Most of them worked hard, built civilizations and mostly prospered. Our nation is an example of that. There is now nowhere new to go. The earth is now full, so to speak.

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