Study Notes on Immigration Policy and Biblical Perspectives

A Biblical Approach to Immigration

  • Biblical Teachings on Immigration

    • There is no clear Biblical teaching on government immigration policy.

    • The Bible establishes moral boundaries for the treatment of immigrants.

    • Justice for Immigrants

    • Deuteronomy 27:19: "Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow."

    • Economic Opportunity for Immigrants

    • Deuteronomy 24:14: "Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns."

    • Love for Immigrants

    • Deuteronomy 10:18-19: "He [God] defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt."

History of U.S. Immigration

  • 18th and 19th Century U.S. Immigration Policy

    • Focused on exclusion based on race.

    • 1790 Naturalization Act: Only allowed naturalized citizenship to free, white individuals of "good moral character" with at least 2 years of residency in the U.S.

    • 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act: Banned immigration from China due to racial panic related to increasing Asian immigration.

  • Early 20th Century U.S. Immigration Policies

    • Shifted focus to quota limits based on nationality.

    • 1921 Emergency Quota Act: Established annual immigration quotas based on nationality for countries outside the western hemisphere.

    • Immigration Act of 1924: Adjusted quotas to favor Western and Northern European immigrants and restricted those from Southern and Eastern Europe.

  • Late 20th Century U.S. Immigration Policies

    • Shifted focus to undo race or nationality-based quotas.

    • Emphasized expanding refugee and family reunification immigration and restricting illegal immigration.

    • Although immigration laws have remained relatively stable since the 1980's, enforcement priorities have changed significantly.

Current Immigration Policy: Enforcement Agencies

  • State Department

    • Handles visa applications.

  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

    • Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS): Manages citizenship processes and immigration paperwork.

    • Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE): Enforces immigration laws and deports illegal immigrants.

Current Immigration Policy: Categories of Immigrants

  • Family-based Immigration

    • Aims to reunite family members of people already in the United States.

  • Employment-based Immigration

    • Companies bring employees with valuable skills to the U.S.

    • Immigration may be temporary or permanent.

  • Asylum-based or Refugee-based Immigration

    • Granted to individuals unable to return to their home country due to a "well-founded fear of persecution."

    • Refugee status must be applied for outside of the U.S.; asylum status must be sought at the point of entry.

  • Statistics (FY 2023):

    • Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens: 47%

    • Family-Sponsored Preferences: 17%

    • Employment-Based Preferences: 17%

    • Refugees and Asylees: 8%

    • Diversity: 6%

    • Other: 5%

    • Overall: 170 million wanted to immigrate in 2023; total of 32.68 million began the process; 1.08 million permitted to enter legally.

Current Immigration Policy: Visas & Citizenship

  • Definition of a Visa

    • A visa is an official permission allowing a non-citizen to stay in the U.S. for a designated time.

    • Most visas are temporary (e.g., tourism, student, or work visas).

  • Permanent Residency Visa (Green Card)

    • Grants indefinite residency.

  • Steps to Citizenship

    • Hold a green card for at least five years while residing in the U.S.

    • Complete the application for naturalization.

    • Pass a citizenship test and undergo an interview.

    • Swear an oath of loyalty to the United States.

    • Dual citizenship is permitted (holding citizenship in two nations).

Current Immigration Policy: Illegal Immigration & Deportation

  • Definition of Illegal Immigration

    • Individuals residing in the U.S. without valid visas are considered illegal immigrants.

  • Reasons for Illegal Immigration

    • The primary source of illegal immigration is overstaying a visa (civil violation, not a crime).

    • Crossing the border illegally constitutes a crime, but claiming asylum at the border does not (about 30% of asylum claims are approved).

  • Consequences

    • Illegal immigrants may be deported for overstaying a visa or entering illegally.

    • Legal immigrants may also face visa revocation and deportation if they commit major crimes.

  • Statistical Trends

    • Arrests by Border Patrol fell significantly early in the Trump administration, continuing a trend initiated under Biden.

    • Border patrol apprehensions recorded for June 2024 reflect ongoing policy impacts.

  • Statistics

    • Immigration Judge Asylum Grant Rates fluctuated from 10% to 60% from FY2022 to FY2024.

The Future of Immigration Policy

  • Congressional Challenges

    • Comprehensive immigration reform has stalled in Congress, shifting emphasis to Presidential enforcement priorities.

  • Republican Stance

    • Support for expansive deportation of illegal immigrants, including increased ICE funding and authority, and a focus on legal immigrants opposing Trump administration policies.

    • Greater support for restricting legal immigration through fewer visa grants.

  • Democratic Stance

    • Support for the path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, reducing ICE's scope and funding, and restricting deportations to only legal immigrants or those who commit serious crimes.

    • Advocacy for increasing legal immigration through a higher number of visas granted.