Immigration is in the headlines again, as a record number of unaccompanied minor children are seeking entry at the US - Mexico border. As immigration reform is debated in the days and months ahead it’s imperative that Christians be informed by both the truth and the Scriptures. In this episode of All Things we’ll look at what’s true about immigrants in the US, especially undocumented immigrants. For example, did you know that the vast majority of undocumented immigrants pay taxes? They are not the “drain on society” that so many claim they are. Did you know that undocumented immigrants are 44% less likely to be incarcerated than native born citizens? The immigrant community, in reality, plays a vital role in our economy and culture as a country. Not only should Christians be informed by these facts and realities, though, we also need to think Biblically. This episode covers a number of Bible verses and commands of Jesus and closes out with some resources for taking a deeper dive in loving the sojourners amongst us.

The following resources were helpful in making this episode:

Welcoming the Stranger by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang

World Relief

Evangelical Immigration Table

Women of Welcome

Evangelicals Say It Is Time For Congress To Tackle Immigration - Lifeway Research

Immigration and the Border - NBC

Backlog of migrant children in Border Patrol custody soars to 4,200, with 3,000 held past legal limit - CBS

A majority of Americans say immigrants mostly fill jobs U.S. citizens do not want - Pew Research Center

Millions of Undocumented Immigrants Are Essential to America’s Recovery, New Report Shows - Center for American Progress

Immigration White Paper Series - George W. Bush Presidential Center