Let me begin by stating that I, unlike politicians of both parties, have never violated immigration law at any point in my ministry with immigrants. I have never hired an undocumented nanny, housekeeper, gardener or minister. I am not proposing that we Christians, en masse, deliberately and intentionally break the law. I am trying to open a dialogue to help the church think through a response to this situation that honors God and helps fulfill his purposes for us. God’s ultimate purpose is that all people should know the salvation that comes through Jesus.
The whole issue of obedience to the law is complicated. I know preachers who have violated the US Treasury laws and traveled to Cuba to preach and teach (they did not violate Cuban laws, only US laws). I know preachers who have smuggled Bibles into the former Soviet Union and more recently into China, in violation of Russian and Chinese laws. I know people who don’t break the letter of the law, but live and operate in gray areas where the law is ambiguous and vague. I know people who regularly and willfully violate the speed limit laws of this country. How do we handle these situations in our churches? Is getting a speeding or parking ticket a sin? Does it necessitate a religious response, such as going forward and confessing sin?
Yes, many immigrants entered into this country without proper documentation. Many others entered legally but overstayed their visas. What is the penalty for these actions? Deportation. There is rarely a fine or other punishment, because this type of violation is not the same as murder or theft. As far as I understand, they are not considered criminal offenses.
The common idea that immigrants take advantage of the free services our country offers without paying anything for them is totally false. Undocumented immigrants, like every other person in this country, pay sales tax, gasoline taxes, automobile taxes, and property taxes (through their rent payments). These monies go directly back into the community structures and services. The only taxes that undocumented immigrants could avoid would be federal and state taxes which require the filing of a return. But even there, undocumented workers are paying — and paying big. A recent Associated Press article shows that undocumented immigrants are paying federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare to the tune of billions of dollars. And most of them will never see that money again in their retirement. They are actually paying for our retirement. I have helped people without Social Security numbers apply for a Tax ID Number (TIN) so that they could pay their taxes. About three-fourths of all undocumented immigrants are helping the Social Security system maintain its solvency.
So yes, undocumented immigrants do pay taxes and are paying for the schools, hospitals and other services we all enjoy in this country. They want to be a part of our society, but the current laws are providing little help in solving the situation. What do we do with the 10 million undocumented people who are here, now, in our country? Suggestions range from deporting all of them to granting all of them amnesty. Currently, there is no system in place for any of them to become legal workers. There are no legal channels to follow. They just don’t exist. And that’s the problem. The laws aren’t serving the needs of our current situation. And how do you change the laws? It generally comes after years of discussion and protest.
More to come…
