E v a n g e l i c a l s for B i b l i c a l I m m i g r a t i o n
Justice for citizens and kindness to guests
October 21, 2013
Honorable Members of the United States House and Senate ~
Warm autumn greetings from EBI — a growing ad hoc group of 1,400 Christian pastors, leaders and citizens who oppose the ‘Gang of Eight’ immigration bill for its lack of justice, wisdom and kindness to Americans. The immigration bills being considered by the House should not be conferenced with the deeply flawed S. 744.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
~ Pastor William John Henry Boetcker (1873-1962)
We realize that President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, globalists and corporate special interests are pressuring Congress in favor of amnesty, but, we must ask, what nation would Jesus indebt and endanger?
Please do not be misled by the National Immigration Forum (NIF) campaigns of so-called “conservatives” and evangelicals promoting amnesty. Progressive, globalist billionaires including George Soros’s Open Society Institute and the Ford, Rockefeller and Carneige Foundations heavily fund the NIF which funds many amnesty campaigns. (See NIF IRS 990).
We ask that you listen to and represent the majority of Americans who oppose an influx of foreign labor given our unprecedented unemployment, debt and national insecurity. Our nation is divided, hurting and in need of healing and renewal. Amnesty will further demoralize Americans; whereas a rise in economic opportunity and productivity would help us support our families, communities, as well as gradually welcome the sojourner who is the “ger” in Scripture, the well-meaning foreigner who comes lawfully as blessing.
72% of all likely voters support “a proposal to reduce illegal immigration by enforcing immigration laws,” E-verify, fortifying the border, and the cooperation of local police.
78% of surveyed evangelicals say they oppose an influx of foreign labor.
82% of evangelical Republicans oppose work permits for illegal immigrant workers.
83% of evangelicals Republicans want employers to use E-verify.
* Source: Pulse Opinion Research, a derivative of Rasmussen, March and September 2013
God loves us all, and that means He wants all nations to flourish. Many of our EBI friends are immigrants respecting the U.S. legal process, or first generation immigrants who love America as well as their countries of origin. God’s love does not translate, in Scripture, as citizenship of any particular country. Rather, what we find in The Bible, and in American history, is careful, gradual discernment for the shaping of families, communities, cultures and nations. That requires distinctions about values. We ask you to prioritize those who respect America enough to have honored our laws and customs. In Scripture we see both welcome and walls. We do not find blanket amnesty and asylum, nor debt escalation. It is a book of wisdom, not of folly.
A balanced understanding of Scripture includes justice to citizens and kindness to guests. In S. 744 we do not see justice to citizens. Rather, we see:
* An unwise influx of foreign labor though 20 million Americans are unemployed.
* Unkindness to our children as we add trillions to our unconscionable seventeen trillion dollar national debt ($17,000,000,000,000). This does not include the cost of Obamacare.
* Unfairness to our elderly who have paid into healthcare & other breaking safety nets.
* President Obama’s DHS again given discretionary power over border control.
* The Obama/Holder DOJ’s easing asylum to possible enemies. (Sections 3401, 3502, 3504).
After an unprecedented series of abuses by the Obama IRS, DOJ, DHS, NSA and State Department, the burden is squarely on you and the President to rebuild our trust. The reform that includes the fortifying of borders resulting in less crime, drugs, violence and unemployment. We recommend E-Verify, with jobs and support first given to 20 million Americans including Hispanic-, African- and Caucasian-American lower skilled labor, the elderly, veterans, the handicapped and college graduates seeking career paths. This is common sense.
We are contending for the economic and cultural survival of America. We applaud Senators Lee and Sessions who urged the House in a recent letter, “Please do not pass individual, incremental bills only to have them cobbled together in a backroom deal with Senate Majority Leader Reid and the Gang of Eight.” Rather, please empower ICE agents to do their jobs. The inflow of illegal immigrants must be stopped. Citizen rights must be honored, as well as the worth of immigrants in God’s eyes. Implement the 2006 Secure Fence Act. Enforce existing immigration and work visa laws. Write short bills that can be understood by citizens and officials. It is foolish to, as Rep. Pelosi urges, pass bills before we know what is in them.
It should concern us that America’s birth rate is at a record low, due largely to loss of economic and biblical truth for human flourishing. So, let’s get our businesses and citizens working so that we can again welcome a generation of children, neighbors and guests with hospitality. Productivity yields hope and generosity. Together, let’s start afresh on culture-shaping from a place of mutual listening, problem-solving and re-establishing America’s future on a firm foundation. The following page is a Summary of S. 744 and our evangelical recommendations.
Sincerely and prayerfully,
Kelly Monroe Kullberg, Christians for a Sustainable Economy (CASE4America.org)
1,400 early Evangelials for Biblical Immigration signers include, as citizens:
Jennifer E. Dyer, CDR, USN (Ret.)
Milton Gutierrez, Pastor
Fr. Johannes Jacobse, President, American Orthodox Institute
John Killian, President Alabama State Convention (So. Baptist); Pastor Maytown Baptist Church
Eric Metaxas, Author, Bonhoeffer and Amazing Grace
Jay Richards, Institute for Faith, Work and Economics; scholar and author, Indivisible
Sandy Rios, American Family Radio
Carol Swain, Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Univ.; Author, Be The People
Mark Tooley President, Institute on Religion and Democracy
Todd Wagner, Senior Pastor, Watermark Church, Dallas, TX
Tim Wildmon President, American Family Association
Original EBI Letter to Congress (June, 2013): EvangelicalsForBiblicalImmigration.com
Responses and interviews:
OCT
2013