Illegal immigration is one of the most pressing ethical issues facing American Evangelicals today. Over the last decade, millions have unlawfully made their way into the United States, with many of these illegal immigrants fleeing poverty, famine, and danger. Culturally, the response from American Evangelicals has been inconsistent and divisive. However, many of these illegal immigrants are themselves Evangelical, holding to the same core theological beliefs as their American brothers in Christ. Is it ethical for American Evangelicals merely to regard the illegal Evangelical in need of asylum as criminal, or ought one approach him primarily as a brother in Christ and fellow member of the kingdom of God?
This paper will argue that American Evangelicals are obligated to relate primarily to the illegal Evangelical who has disregarded asylum laws as a fellow member of the Kingdom of God and not solely according to legal status; American Evangelicals, while not excusing nor dismissing the illegal status and consequences of undocumented Evangelicals, have an ethical obligation to still welcome them into the local church, prioritize discipling them into the image of Christ as they would any other believer, and advocate on their behalf to the government in a way that emphasizes their livelihood while addressing their criminality.
To prove this thesis, the paper will begin with a brief summary and description of asylum laws and their parameters. Next, this paper will A) define the subgroup of illegal Evangelicals specifically in need of asylum and the ways in which their circumstances fit within the asylum law parameters, and B) address the common reasons why those fleeing poverty, famine, and danger disregard asylum laws. From here, the paper will extensively examine biblical literature from the Old and New Testaments to validate the just moral concern for the illegal Evangelical and confirm the American Evangelical’s responsibility for Christian discipleship and legal advocacy on their behalf. Lastly, the paper will conclude with a practical description of the American Evangelical’s ethical duty: as a citizen, as a Christian, and as a brother caring for another brother. Ultimately, one’s neighbor is not reduced to his or her crimes, socio-economic status, or personal shortcomings. When an illegal Evangelical is already here, it is imperative for American Evangelicals not to overemphasize the legal status of a person while underemphasizing his value in the eyes of God.