Statement on the President’s Reported Comments and Bipartisan Progress toward a Solution for Dreamers
Immigrants from various countries within Africa as well as from Haiti, El Salvador, Norway, and every country in the world have contributed to the greatness of this country. We have brothers and sisters in Christ who are integral parts of the universal Church within and from each of these nations, each of whom the Bible tells us will one day gather around the throne of God in worship. The Scriptures teach us that each human person— regardless of their country of origin—is made in the image of God, with inherent and infinite dignity. Jesus emerged from the despised and disregarded town of Nazareth, a reminder that we ought never pre-judge any person based on his or her community of origin.
These biblical values inform our national values as well. The United States was founded upon the conviction that all people are created equal—though, as Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded our country, we have not always lived up to that truth.
Our president reportedly made statements recently that stand in opposition to these core biblical and American values. The President has now denied some of the reported language. We would hope that nothing approaching what was reported would ever be said by an American leader.
In any case, we hope and pray that he will join the good-faith efforts of a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators to allow Dreamers to continue to work lawfully and contribute in the United States while also improving border security. The proposal that three Republican and three Democratic Senators have created is not what any one of them, or any of us, would consider to be the ideal bill: each side has accepted elements they would not prefer, but such is the nature of reaching a consensus that can pass both Houses of Congress and be signed by the president.
We commend these Senators for their efforts and urge them to keep working; we ask the president to keep to his commitment to sign a bill produced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers; we commit to praying for all of our elected officials; and we pledge to the Dreamers who know most personally the urgency of this situation— including many within our churches and organizations—that we will continue to stand with them and work for a just, compassionate solution.
Respectfully,
Leith Anderson, President, National Association of Evangelicals
Scott Arbeiter, President, World Relief
Shirley V. Hoogstra, President, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Hyepin Im, President & CEO, Faith and Community Empowerment (Formerly KCCD)
Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador, General Superintendent Emerita, The Wesleyan Church
Russell Moore, President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Richard Stearns, President, World Vision US
Read more at Statement on the President’s Reported Comments and Bipartisan Progress toward a Solution for Dreamers.
