Introduction
Mennonite Church
USA has roots in seventeenth-century churches planted by immigrants from Europe. Our church continues to grow and be enlivened by immigrants who join us from many countries. As Christians, we believe we are called to welcome these sojourners in our congregations and communities, especially as our government creates increasingly harsh immigration laws in the name of fighting terrorism. Assumptions about identity make some people more vulnerable to political biases and discrimination than others. Our concerns about the status of immigrants in this
country relate to how people are treated based on race, nationality, ethnicity, and religious identity.
We reject our
country’s mistreatment of immigrants, repent of our silence, and commit ourselves to act with and on behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters, regardless of their legal status.
Biblical Background
The Bible offers us some valuable insights about welcoming strangers, and in our context immigrants are viewed as strangers. “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do [the stranger] wrong. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the
native among you, and you shall love [the stranger] as yourself; for you were strangers in the land
of Egypt…”(Leviticus 19:33, 34). We affirm that God has called us to welcome immigrants, because all of us are sojourners (Exodus 23:9, Deuteronomy 24:17, 18). We believe that when we welcome strangers, we welcome Jesus (Matthew 25:35).
Immigrants in the United States
We may not realize it, but our nation depends economically and culturally on the contributions of immigrants. Immigrant entrepreneurs, professionals, and artists contribute to the United States’ wealth and diverse culture. Immigrant laborers often work the least desirable
jobs.
For many immigrants, however, the opportunities of living in the United States are offset by hardship and discrimination. They work the most difficult and dangerous jobs for the lowest pay, and immigrants without documents are frequently cheated out of wages and denied compensation for work-related injuries. Unfair
immigration policies make it difficult to travel across borders, unjust quota systems discriminate against citizens from some countries, and families are divided by long delays in document processing.
Immigrants in poverty are denied most welfare and healthcare benefits. Because our society tells us to fear some immigrants more than others, an increasingly militarized U.S./Mexico border has led to reports of abuse by border guards and hundreds of deaths in the desert. 1<
Since September 11, 2001, the Bush Administration, with the support of others in the government, has issued new policies and enforced old laws that strike fear in the hearts of immigrant communities, creating the perception that any contact with government officials or social service agencies might result in arrest or deportation. Middle Eastern males across the United States are being forced to register and are deported if their papers are not in order.
Haitians and other peoples arriving by boat
are being detained without regard for their civil rights and deported even when they have credible fear of persecution at
home. The new Department of Homeland Security, whose stated mission is to guard the nation against terrorists, now handles immigration and refugee enforcement and services. Our government’s policies lead us to view these strangers as a
threat to our safety and economic security. 2<
Immigrants in our congregations
Immigrants—documented and undocumented—are members of many Mennonite Church USA congregations. Immigrant churches face a society whose policies and practices discriminate against immigrants and people of color. Immigrant churches with
undocumented members are deeply affected by the poverty and fear experienced by many members of their communities; often churches share the costs of food, shelter, and clothing, assist in job searches, and support families when members are deported. Undocumented church leaders are often unable or afraid to travel
to larger church gatherings without identification. Congregations without immigrant members are finding their communities changed by immigration and are struggling with how to respond.
Our commitment
We affirm individuals and churches that are already working against poverty and fear in immigrant communities. We affirm those who are speaking to the government about our nation’s unjust immigration policies. We affirm the church’s work with anti-racism, while we acknowledge that much more work remains.
We also affirm the church’s support of agencies
that are addressing the roots of international inequality, which cause people to emigrate. However, we understand that because the United States controls more material resources than any other country, people will continue to immigrate here in search of economic and political stability. Because of our nation’s
abundance, because God has called us to welcome the sojourner, and because of the richness that immigrants bring to the Mennonite Church USA, we commit ourselves to action with and on behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters.
We invite Mennonite Church USA
congregations to consider the following actions (resources listed below):
- Build relationships with newcomers in our communities. Facilitate
the mutual sharing of immigrants’ stories and contributions in our
churches and neighborhoods.
- Plan congregational learning tours in our communities, including
immigrant neighborhoods, churches, and workplaces, as well as government
offices that serve immigrants.
- Partner with immigrant congregations to plan church services
or community events.
- Offer church facilities and volunteers for documentation services,
English classes, ethnic celebrations, or other outreach programs.
- Engage in mutual aid to offer food, shelter, clothing, and other
resources to undocumented and documented immigrants.
- Learn about issues affecting immigrants by reading
newspapers or magazines, joining national immigration rights organizations,
or contacting church agencies that work with immigration issues.
- Join study tours to the U.S./Mexico border, refugee camps, or
detention centers to learn more about U.S. immigration and refugee
policies.
- Advocate for just and humane policies for immigrants and refugees
by contacting local, state, and national elected officials.
These groups helped write and support this
resolution:
- Iglesia Menonita Hispana: Marco Guete, moderator; and Juan
Montes, director
- MCC US: Jose Ortiz, executive director; Rebeca Jimenez Yoder,
immigration education and advocacy director; Bethany Spicher, Washington
Office legislative assistant for domestic affairs; Felipe Hinojosa, MCC
Central States staff associate
- Executive Board Office of Cross Cultural Relations, Kenyetta
Aduma, director
- Executive Board Directors Office, Susan Mark Landis, peace advocate
- Pacific Southwest Conference, Jeff Wright, conference minister,
southern California
- PSMC/CAL Mission Team and
the PSMC Pastoral Leadership Committee
- MultiEthnic Ministries, Mennonite Mission Network: Kuaying
Teng, minister
- Mission Association Center for Anabaptist Leadership: Rev. Femi Fatunmbi
- Mennonite Church USA Executive Board
- Mennonite Church USA Constituency Leaders Council
Resources:
Mennonite Central Committee
Immigration Office Offers two packets: “Welcoming the
Newcomer: Doing Advocacy with Immigrants,” for general immigration information,
and “Immigration Information Packet” about the basics of immigration law.
Conducts periodic workshops on documentation, citizenship, the responsibilities
of immigrant sponsors, the rights of battered immigrant women and children, and
the rights of workers in employment raids. Contact Rebeca Jimenez Yoder, (717)
859-1151, rjy@mcc.org, www.mcc.org/ us/immigration/resources/.
Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office Offers
a primer on immigration advocacy. Contact Krista Zimmerman, (202) 544-6564,
kjz@mcc.org, www.mcc.org/us/ immigration/resources/.
Mennonite Central Committee
Resource Catalog Includes various immigration-related videos
with study guides, packets, and posters
Mennonite Central Committee Web
site “Love in Action” page includes suggestions
for hands-on assistance, education, and advocacy http://www.mcc.org/themes/us-immigration/index.html.
New Bridges
Immigrant Resource
Center Hosts
community immigration learning tours in Harrisonburg,
Va. Contact Susannah Gerber
Lepley, (540) 438-8295, newbridges1@aol.com
BorderLinks A
non-profit organization that conducts travel seminars focusing on the issues of
Mexican border communities. Contact BorderLinks at (520) 628-8263,
lacruz@borderlinks.org, www.borderlinks.org
Third Way Café A
collection of insightful interviews with a variety of immigrants and church
workers who work with immigrants: www.thirdway.com/BTN/?Topic=Immigration&Section=Stories.
National Immigration Forum Advocates
and builds public support for public policies that welcome immigrants and
refugees. Offers a series of short papers featuring useful statistical and
historical information related to immigration. Visit www.immigrationforum.org.
National Immigration Law Center Specializes in immigration
law, immigrant employment and public benefits rights of immigrants. Provides
publications, technical advice and trainings on immigration. Visit www.nilc.org.
April 21, 2003 Updated and reprinted November, 2006
1The Mexico Foreign Relations Office
records 1870 deaths from 1995-2001. (There are no statistics for Arizona or Texas
until 1996. The U.S. Border Patrol did not begin keeping comprehensive migrant
death statistics until FY 1998.)
2“However, during the Bush Administration a
fairly systematic pattern of increased rights abuses on the part of Border
Patrol and other INS agents emerged more plainly from a diverse and much
more-expanded body of evidence. This information was reported by human rights
groups, the press, congressional committees, the Mexican government, Mexican
academic researchers, and even the U.S. Department of Justice. Recorded
offenses included beatings, shootings and inappropriate use of firearms, sexual
assault, destruction of property, denial of due process, verbal abuse and
harassment, inappropriate and illegal searches, substandard detention conditions,
and reckless high-speed chases.” The militarization of the US-Mexico Border by
Timothy J. Dunn •