Was Abraham an Illegal Alien?

Lonewacko links to an article in the San Antonio Express-News that quotes from Rev. Michael DeGerolami, a Catholic priest. The subject is illegal immigration. Mark DeGerolami as "pro" on that issue:

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[A] bill...would make it a felony to aid undocumented immigrants — legislation that, immigrant advocates fear, could affect soup kitchens and day shelters.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Peter King, R-N.Y., and James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., recently passed the House.

The sponsors contend the bill targets "alien smuggling rings," but the wording is vague, and critics fear it will lump social service workers into the same category as coyotes.

"In my studies of the Scriptures, it's very clear that migration is the story of the Old Testament," DeGerolami, the pastor of St. Philip of Jesus Church, said. "Abraham was a wanderer, looking for a better place, a better life."

DeGerolami said he would not judge the lawmakers.

"I'd rather not comment on them," he said, sitting in his office on the South Side. "But I think there is a lot of posturing going on. They forget they are the children and grandchildren of immigrants."...

The parish consists of 1,000 families — almost 4,000 individuals, young and old. Most are Hispanic. Some, perhaps many, are undocumented immigrants.

"We don't ask to see their papers," he said simply....

If the bill becomes law, how will DeGerolami react? Will he stop helping immigrants? Will he tell them the government forbids it?

"I'm not one who fights the legal system," he said. "I've been a jail chaplain, and I've seen what happens when you're on the other side of the law. But some laws are unjust, and this would seem to be one of them. My conscience, my religion, my beliefs tell me that, yes, I would continue to help the immigrants."

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Freedom Folks links to an sfgate.com article authored by Ira Mehlman of FAIR.

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Blurring the important distinction between immigrants and immigration, Cardinal Mahony used his Ash Wednesday sermon to address what he calls "anti-immigrant hysteria" in the United States, and to engage in some hysteria of his own, falsely asserting that a House-passed bill would criminalize routine church activities.

Americans, to their great credit, have not translated their legitimate frustration over the massive disregard of our immigration laws into animosity toward immigrants, nor should they. However, Americans have a right to demand that their government protect their security and interests by enforcing our immigration laws, and to hold all institutions, including churches, accountable if they knowingly aid and abet people who are violating the law.

The House legislation that Cardinal Mahony finds so odious, HR4437, will not prevent clergy from administering Communion or feeding people who show up at a soup kitchen. Rather, when religious workers cross the line and actively assist people in violating the law, they will be held accountable -- just as any other American would.

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The appropriate question to ask is - under what circumstances should an American Christian violate a United States law? In response to the statement that a Christian should never violate a United States law, you only have to look at Daniel:

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Daniel 6:6-10 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.

10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

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Now of course, the question arises - is denial of benefits to illegal aliens a justified government response, or a non-Christian activity that should be resisted? The community of Israel was commanded to not oppress aliens:

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Exodus 23:8-10 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

8 "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

9 "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.

10 "For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops,

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But, on the other hand, the aliens are expected to obey the law:

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Leviticus 18:26-28 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

26 But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27 for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28 And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

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If the law is unjust, then such considerations are possibly moot. But let's think of the ramifications of not requiring documentation to live in the United States. If it is immoral for a country to require such documentation before providing services, then is it not immoral for a particular church denomination (or parachurch organization) to require documentation before providing its services?

As Catholics, we believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of our oneness in faith, life and worship. Members of churches with whom we are not yet fully united are therefore not ordinarily invited to participate in Holy Communion.

Close communion is the Biblical practice of admitting to communion only those Christians who are members in good standing of Lutheran congregations which are in fellowship with their own congregation.

Now in the religious realm a kind of “born-again” Yellow Page directory is being issued which limits its listings to businesses operated by those who “accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.”

Of course, one solution is to avoid the issue entirely:

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As Congress grapples with legislation regarding an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, the nation's most powerful conservative Christian organizations have been watching from the sidelines.

The Christian right says it has other issues at the moment, such as the battle against same-sex marriage....

Evangelicals' hesitancy to get involved traces, observers say, to political as much as moral reservations. Evangelicals might be inclined to sympathize with fellow Christians from south of the border who have taken a grave personal risk in order to support their families back at home, but, says Bliss: "The rhetoric is considered a liberal issue. Fear of looking weak or too liberal permeates a lot of the discussion."

Evangelical groups, if determined to appear tough on illegal immigration, could endorse the House-approved bill, which doesn't address the question of what to do with undocumented immigrants. But those who appear unsympathetic toward immigrants run other political risks. They could alienate business interests — political allies in industries known to employ undocumented workers. They could also run afoul of a growing foreign-born constituency, according to Manuel Vasquez, associate professor of religion at the University of Florida and an expert on religion and immigration.

Faced with the specter of political costs no matter where they come down on immigration, leading evangelical groups are opting not to get involved.

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Ellis Chaplin examined the issue last October:

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So what are we to do with the illegal immigrants who are here? That is a certainly a tough one for which our government has yet to find a good answer. Just because the government doesn’t have a solution doesn’t mean we as individuals don’t have certain responsibilities. It is probable that all of us see illegal immigrants on a weekly if not daily basis. Perhaps some of us even know one or two personally. Many churches are beginning to wrestle with how to minister to such individuals.

Let’s assume you did have a personal relationship with an illegal immigrant. What would you tell them? Would you encourage them to turn themselves in to authorities and be returned to their home country? That is a tough message to deliver, but can Christians do any less? If we believe in the Biblical mandate to respect and obey the law, our options are limited.

Surely the church has a responsibility to the poor and oppressed, but it is hard to determine where illegal immigrants fit into that category. I am not necessarily saying they are not poor or oppressed but we have to be careful before painting them with that brush. I am not sure Scripture allows us to treat all poor alike. Systematic poverty and poverty from personal decision must be approached differently. The church must act with extreme caution when caring for illegal immigrants.

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I welcome your thoughts.

From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here)