WWJD

Whom Would Jesus Deport?

Yesterday, rallies were held all over the country in support of immigration reforms and against the House of Representatives' reprehensible, moronic H.R. 4437 bill. What exactly is so morally controversial about this bill, anyway, that millions of people took to the streets to protest it, that Lou Dobbs went to Cancun (and it's not because of Spring break) to report on it, that the political landscape could change this November because of it? For one, it criminalizes charity. Here's a summary of the bill's main points:

1. Criminalizes organizations and individuals assisting undocumented immigrants
2. Criminalizes undocumented immigration status
3. Grants state and local law enforcement agencies “inherent authority” to enforce immigration laws
4. Furthers the erosion of due process
5. Expands the costly detention of immigrants
6. Guts the federal courts’ authority to review immigration matters
7. Turns many minor crimes into aggravated felonies, which carry the worst possible immigration consequences
8. Expands the consequences of an aggravated felony and other offenses
9. Eliminates key safeguards concerning evidence used to prove that an immigrant is deportable for an aggravated felony
10. Reverses the burden of proof
11. Makes an immigrant associated with any street gang deportable and ineligible for any immigration benefits
12. Undermines state court decisions regarding the reversal or vacation of convictions in immigration proceedings
13. Imposes mandatory minimum sentences for many offenses

Furthermore, there are now talks of reversing the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which "guarantees citizenship at birth to almost all individuals born in the United States or in U.S. jurisdictions, according to the principle of jus soli." In effect, the granting of US citizenship will change from jus soli (by land) into jus sanguinis (by blood). Which poses the question: how do you determine "American lineage / blood" - in a country built by immigrants? It's pretty much clear cut and dry that one can claim Japanese citizenship - as long as the father is Japanese. Delia can claim Irish citizenship, easily, because both her parents were born in Ireland (even though they may now be US citizens). But what exactly is an American? Really. Tell me.

It's Holy Week and I'm pretty much bummed about this whole immigration thing because there are just so many misconceptions out there about illegal immigrants and I keep thinking about Jesus entering Jerusalem, in style, on a Sunday and by Friday He was dead on a cross. I keep thinking about Jesus being smuggled into Egypt to avoid Herod's wrath (in the process illegally crossing the border, I suppose). I keep thinking about the Jews wandering in the desert, looking for their home. And I keep thinking of this passage from Matthew 25:31-46:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For 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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "

How easily we forget - that we are all strangers in a strange land and if we play our cards right, we might someday go home to be with God. And I mean that in a non-rapture kind of way.


keywords: Delia Gallagher