“On a political level,” Arbeiter adds, “I really cannot fathom why the president would take an action that will be objectionable to the vast majority of Americans—including three out of four white evangelical Christians—who want Dreamers to be able to continue to stay and work lawfully in the U.S.”
Signee Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, says, “The world is watching to see whether a nation that claims Christian principles, and which values the free practice of faith, will care for the vulnerable.”
Bethany Christian Services President and CEO Chris Palusky signed the letter because “All children—regardless of where they are from or what they have been through—deserve to be loved, safe, and connected.” He notes, “That’s why many children in the DACA program, who are now young adults, came to the U.S. with their families in the first place.”
Other letter signees include Walter Kim of the National Association of Evangelicals, Gabriel Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, and Hyepin Im of Faith and Community Empowerment.
Immediately after the June 18 Supreme Court ruling, the EIT also wrote to Congress, requesting quick, bipartisan action that solves the issue for good. Individuals can join the effort by adding their names to a letter to Congress here.
Immigration Reform Is a Hot Topic in Evangelical Circles
Debates about Dreamers and immigration reform have intensified during Trump’s presidency, with newsworthy issues such as construction of a border wall, crowded conditions at migrant facilities, unaccompanied minors, migrant caravans, and ministry to border patrol agents.
At its annual meetings, the SBC—America’s largest Protestant denomination—has passed resolutions about immigration reform. A 2011 resolution encouraged evangelism, justice, and compassion. It also called for secure borders, accountable hiring practices, and “a just and compassionate path to legal status, with appropriate restitutionary measures, for those undocumented immigrants already living in our country.” That’s different from amnesty, the SBC noted. A 2018 resolution emphasized similar themes while also requesting that “the priority of family unity” be maintained.
Liz Dong, founder of Voices of Christian Dreamers, credits DACA with allowing her to attend graduate school in the United States and then land a job with EIT, “mobilizing local churches to advocate” for Dreamers. She thanks Christians for their prayers and urges them to continue, saying the recent decision is a “huge relief” but “not the end of the story.” Permanent legislation from Congress, says Dong, is “the only way for Dreamers to become citizens of this country, which a great many of us are eager to do.”
