Rev. T. Carlos Anderson and Rev. Jim Harrington
For two government leaders, whose political sleeves proudly display their Christian faith, there is a screeching dissonance with how they, Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, appear to practice that faith with regard to immigrants.
That dissonance is particularly poignant at this time of year when Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus, whose parents, according to the Christmas narrative, could find no other place for his birth other than a rickety, smelly stable behind a Bethlehem inn.
Then some short time later, the family of Jesus has to flee to Egypt to avoid the death-certain savagery of Herod’s political persecution, essentially taking asylum. Egypt was not an uncommon place at the time to seek relief from persecution or economic pressure.
We have noted in the past Abbott’s cynical spending of $14 million Texas tax dollars to inhumanely physically “relocate” some 12,000 asylum-seekers across the country, not out of benevolence, but for political theatrics. We have lamented his cynicism and refusal to work creatively with the rest of the country to share the burden of immigrants coming across the southern border.
However much as it might seem inconceivable, Abbott, Paxton, and other politicians have sunk to an even lower level, attacking nonprofit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and church groups that extend basic humane support to immigrants, particularly NGOs that try to assist immigrants in sorting through the arcane, labyrinthine legal procedures for those seeking asylum or other protections from deportation.
They even absurdly accuse Catholic Charities, the humanitarian arm of the U.S. Catholic Church, and NGOs of trying to “profit off of exploiting our immigration laws.” The Immigration and Refugee Services of Catholic Charities pushed back sharply: “These accusations are both fallacious and factually inaccurate. Our life-saving humanitarian work [food, clean clothes, bathing facilities, overnight respite] neither violates federal laws nor endangers communities.”
Indeed, charitable care is legal and typically begins only after the federal government has processed and released an asylum-seeker. Both U.S. and international law provide for the right to seek asylum at another country’s border.
Why punish those who are diligently doing what their religious and humanitarian beliefs require, and steps required by the Scriptures of a great majority of faith communities?
People are fleeing oppressive regimes like Venezuela and Afghanistan and others, such as Honduras and Colombia, wallowing in corruption that has upended national economies, oppressing the poor more bitterly than ever.
Men, women, and children walk thousands of miles, facing brutal “coyotes,” mercenaries, and marauders because they see no other choice. Necessity drives their livelihood. No one gets up in the morning and whimsically starts off on a dangerous trek, knowing they may die on the way, be brutalized, maimed, raped, or tortured. Many of our ancestors made the perilous journey here from Europe and other places because of similar need and no other viable choice.
Migration is at an all-time high because of the sheer number of severe crises around the world. Politicians have kicked the immigration can down the road for decades, and it has doubled back on us.
Most religious groups hold as a tenet of faith that all people are created in, or reflect, the image of God and thus have individual dignity, accordingly to which societal institutions must treat everyone fairly, benevolently, and equitably.
From the Hebrew Bible’s injunctions to “welcome the stranger” to the Good Samaritan parable, our Scriptures are clear: people of faith are to be compassionate. “Welcoming strangers” includes helping migrants in their time of crisis and supporting organizations that provide compassionate assistance.
The politics of immigration must not tamp down our country’s religiously and morally driven ideal of compassion. Nor should politicians do the dirty work of undercutting organizations and church groups that take Scriptures’ commands seriously and to heart.
We hope that the church organizations currently under attack resist with fortitude, and we call upon others to step forward, as indeed they should, to assist immigrants and push back the attacks on those who help them.
(Rev. T. Carlos Anderson is Director of Austin City Lutherans, Austin; Rev. Jim Harrington is a priest with Proyecto Santiago, St. James’ Episcopal Church, Austin)
Humans , like other other species, have migrated for thousands of years. A simple study of demographics point to “push” and “pull” factors. Violence, crime, authoritarian governments, poverty, hunger, lack of security, violation of human rights are some “push” factors. Liberty, economic opportunity, human and civil rights, safety, good health care, improved quality of life are a few important “pull” factors.
What people like Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, Ted Cruz, and Chip Roy are simply racist and power hungry. They appeal to a like-minded senseless herd of voters.
Dan Patrick joined a Houston “Christian evangelical” congregation and actually flew to Israel to be baptized by total immersion in the Jordan River. In my opinion, he wasn’t submerged long enough to let true Christian values to soak in.