The Catholic Defender: Immigration and the American Nomads
Immigration has become a political football in some Catholic circles because of the biblical responsibilities given and our compassion for the immigrants. There is also biblical teaching about a country's right to protect their borders from foreign invasion. The United States Southern Boarder has been a hot spot as illegal immigration for decades has separated Americans for Decades.
During the Presidency of Ronald Reagan there were at that time about 3,000,000 illegal aliens and the Democrats wanted to give them clemency. President Reagan did work out a deal with the Democrats that if we show clemency that the Democrats would close the Southern Border. The agreement was made and so their was clemency granted, but the Democrats reneged their part of the bargain.
The problem escalated many times the problems of the 1980s, During the Obama/Biden Administration, they developed cages and placed children in these cages by the thousands. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) became another hot potato as many of them have lived their lives in the United States and does not know their own countries culture and languages. President Trump wants Congress to act on the issue but the Democrats want to keep this as a political tool in hopes of gaining Hispanics.
President Donald Trump from the beginning of his Presidential Campaign promised to build the wall down across the Mexican Border. Dealing with Illegal Immigration has always been a major part of his agenda.
The concerns are many, human trafficking, drugs, gangs, terrorist, people crossing our borders without much protection to our own natural citizens. We see this especially with these "Sanctuary Cities" and even States giving Illegals freedom from being deported.
Today, we do not truly know just how many illegals are in the United States today, but the minimum over eleven million. President Trump does not want the same thing to happen again as the Democrats are wanting amnesty for the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) who were brought here as children.
Most Americans have compassion on these immigrants as many have known only America. The problem facing President Trump is that the Democrats have opposed the building of the wall. The Democrats ultra left want porous borders as they see these illegals as potential votes to empower them.
The problem facing America is that compassion and law become sometimes on opposite sides. Exodus 23:9 states, "You shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."
Understanding Exodus, Jesus states, "for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me..." Matthew 25:35
Compare the United States with any other nation and we are far and away the greatest nation, especially regarding immigration. Today, we are concerned with legal immigration.
The Church is called to care for the stranger, those who are immigrants in our midst but what about borders? In the time of Nehemiah, survivors of the Babylonian Captivity found their beloved Jerusalem in total shambles:
"And they said to me, "The survivors there in the province who escaped exile are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." Nehemiah 1:3
Nehemiah recognized the importance of building a wall of protection to safeguard the people against foreign invaders and enemies planning invasions:
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When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the leaders stood behind all the house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were laden in such a way that each with one hand labored on the work and with the other held his weapon. And each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."
To the people, Nehemiah proclaimed, "And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." Nehemiah 4:14
Building walls was always a protection against warring enemies and the threat of attack. I've had the chance to visit the Alamo many times when traveling to San Antonio, I've also been to Fort Boonesborough where they too had survived a siege for fifteen day against the French and their Indian allies. Being stationed in Germany, you can see the walls constructed to safeguard cities.
As an after thought, I was deployed in Iraq and being placed on Joint Security Stations Like Sadr City, we were behind concrete wall surrounded by many hostiles.
The Vatican is surrounded by such a wall. Even though these examples I am sharing here about the walls of protection today are obsolete, the wall that President Trumps plans to build is more than a simple wall. He wants to reinforce the Border Patrol, wants to use modern technology for the purpose of moderating allowing legal immigration.
Modern day Israel who are surrounded by hostile nations who want to see Israel destroyed, shows how important having a wall gives much protection, along with everything else to provide support for the Nation.
Today, President Trump has over 300 miles of new wall built at the Southern Boarder and Mexico has placed 25,000 Soldiers at the Boarder causing illegal immigration to radically diminish. Listening to the news, there are those who hate President Trump that will use illegal immigration as an excuse to support Biden which is a pro-Abortion Candidate and promises to do away with the Hyde Amendment that protects Medical Professionals from being forced to help with killing unborn children. This could cause Catholic and other Christian groups that have hospitals to close as they will not do Abortions.
