This document discusses various aspects of the US immigration system and calls for comprehensive immigration reform. It provides information on different pathways for legal immigration including employment, family reunification, refugees/asylees, and diversity visas. However, it notes there are few legal options for most immigrants and outlines penalties for those who entered illegally. The document argues for reform that enforces laws humanely while establishing a process for workers to earn citizenship and expanding safe, legal entry. It encourages learning more about the issues, teaching others, and advocating for comprehensive reform.

1. Comprehensive
Immigration
Reform
• How is the system broken?
• Who can fix it?
• What can I do?

2. “The Legal Way”
Employment- Refuge /
Based Asylum
Immigration
Family-Based Diversity
Immigration Lottery

3. Employment-
Based
Immigration
140,000 Permanent Resident Visas Annually
– Primarily for immigrants with “extraordinary
ability” and “holding advanced degrees”
– Not an option for the vast majority of
immigrants

4. Refugees /
Asylees
55,000 refugees annually
– For those fleeing persecution for reason of
• Race
• Religion
• National origin
• Political opinion
• Membership in a particular social group
– Not for those fleeing
• Economic hardship
• Environmental or natural disasters
– Determination of refugee / asylee status can be tied to
U.S. political interests and foreign policy

5. Diversity
Lottery
50,000 visas issued annually
– Must have high school education or two-years
professional experience to apply
– Odds of winning the 2009 lottery were 1 in 182
– No Visa Lottery for
• Mexico, the Philippines, India, China, Canada,
Haiti, El Salvador, England, South Korea, and
Poland, among others

6. Family-Based
Immigration
At least 226,000 Permanent Resident Visas
annually
– A citizen or LPR can petition for their:
• Spouse
• Unmarried children
• Parents
• sibling
– No other family relationships qualify
(grandparents, uncles, cousins, in-laws, etc.)

7. No
legal
way
• Forget it if you:
– Were here illegally (10 year bar)
– Have committed a crime (retroactive)
– Have falsely claimed citizenship (even
accidentally)
– ever in any way provided “material support”
to a “terrorist organization” (even under
duress)

8. Statistics and Graphic from the Pew Hispanic
Center, March 2006

9. Oh, the myths!
• Myth: Immigrants don’t pay taxes.
– Social Security says it holds $420 billion from undocumented.
• Myth: Immigrants come here for welfare.
– Undocumented / temporary workers are not eligible
• Myth: Immigrants drain the US economy.
– Net gain for federal economy (some loss for local economies)
• Myth: Immigrants don’t want to learn English.
– Within 10 years, 75% are English speakers
• Myth: The war on terrorism can be won through
restricting immigration.
– Our immigrant-targeted security efforts have netted no terrorism
prosecutions.

10. Mode of Entry of Undocumented Immigrants
Unlawful
Visa-
Unlawful Overstayers
Border 45%
Crossers
55%

11. Thinking faithfully about
immigration
• Identity of humans
• Immigrants in the Bible
• Commands in the Bible
• Code of hospitality
• Law abiding

12. Image of God
• Gen 1:26-27, “Then God said, "Let us make
humankind in our image, in our likeness…
So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God he created him; male
and female he created them.”
– Worth
– Potential to contribute

13. Biblical migrants
• Abraham •Daniel
• Isaac •Ezra
• Jacob •Nehemiah
•Esther
• Joseph
•Jesus
• Naomi, Ruth •Early church

14. God’s law
• Outsiders (alien, orphan, widow) were
vulnerable
– Food
– Fair and timely wage
– Fair legal proceedings
– Participation in religious practices
• Remember your history
• Display the heart of God

15. Hospitality
• Called to show to strangers (not friends) -
Luke 14:12-14
• Called to reflect Christ - “Welcome one
another, therefore, just as Christ has
welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
(Romans 15:7)
• Good Samaritan – it was the “outsider”
who was the hero, neighbor. (Luke 10)

16. Rule of Law
• Romans 13, “…everyone must submit
himself to the governing authorities” since
“the authorities that exist have been
established by God.”
• Acts 5, “But Peter and the apostles
answered, ‘We must obey God rather than
any human authority…’”

17. Comprehensive Immigration
Reform
• Enforcement! (That is humane)
• Reform family-based system (waiting times)
• A process immigrant workers to earn citizenship
(upon satisfaction of specific criteria)
• Expand ways for workers and families to enter
and work in a safe and legal manner (with
rights protected)
• Address the root causes of migration (economic
disparities)

18. So what.
• Learn
– www.crcjustice.org (issue: immigration)
• Teach
– Sunday school curriculum, book studies, film
discussions, etc.
• Speak
– Comprehensive Immigration Reform