By Josh Gerstein & Ben Smith
Evangelical groups in recent weeks have become key players in the Obama administrations efforts to get immigration reform moving in Congress. And while they have largely couched their arguments in moral terms or with references to biblical teachings top leaders acknowledge another important reason:
Latino immigrants legal and illegal represent fertile prospects for proselytizing.
First and foremost its a kingdom issue and second its a moral issue" Richard Land president of the
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention told POLITICO. We have hundreds of thousands of Hispanic Southern Baptists and many of them are undocumented. … Its no secret that we practice aggressive evangelism. Many of these people were converted after they got here."
Leith Anderson president of the
National Association of Evangelicals puts it another way. When people migrate theyre open to all kinds of change including religious change. Evangelical denominations have historically drawn immigrants. … The growing edge of many of our denominations is through immigration from all over the world."
Anderson insisted however that his organization was urging the government to act because of broader moral and social concerns and not to help churches fill their pews.
That is a
motivation for evangelicals to be involved in this. However I dont think from a government point of view it should be a religious decision. Its primarily a justice decision and a political decision. Im not suggesting that legislation be based on a benefit for a particular denomination. It should be based on whats practical for America" Anderson said.
While the White House hasnt explicitly endorsed the religious conservatives arguments they were invited and given front-row seats earlier this month when President Barack Obama delivered a speech on
immigration reform at American University.
Most of the arguments put forward by the conservative religious figures are similar to those of other immigration-reform advocates including Catholics and left-leaning religious groups. The evangelicals insist that the treatment of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants is inhumane and immoral. They also argue that legalizing the undocumented would improve
national security and reduce labor abuses by persuading immigrants to come out of the shadows."
However the evangelical leaders are also advancing a more controversial line of argument: that immigration reform is practical or even desirable because Latinos subscribe to moral and religious values in line with social conservatives.
Some evangelicals have stirred the pot further by drawing a contrast between predominantly Christian immigrants to the U.S. and a largely Muslim migration to Western Europe.
Realistically I think it is probably more politically feasible to do this because the overwhelming majority of the people that were talking about come from a European civilization" said Land. It would be more problematic if we had 12 million to 14 million undocumented people and they were either Oriental or Islamic. … Whether that is right or wrong Im just giving you a realistic political calculation."
When I talk to political and religious leaders in Europe one of their great concerns is their migration is coming from non-Christian regions whereas most of our immigration is coming from people who have a Christian tradition" Anderson said.
Muslim leaders who back immigration reform said they welcome the evangelicals to the effort but view comments about the religious backgrounds of immigrants as unhelpful.
Trying to compare our situation to that of Europe is very naive at least if not ill-intended for some" said Hussam Ayloush executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations Los Angeles chapter.
Its unfortunate when someone tries to justify a good thing immigration reform on the basis of something negative which is fear of Muslims" he
added.
The thrust of the evangelicals argument that the culture of most Latinos is closely aligned with the American tradition is nearly 180 degrees away from arguments made by conservatives favoring an illegal immigration crackdown a decade or so ago.
Mexicans not only come from another culture but millions are of another race. History and experience teach us that different races are far more difficult to assimilate" former Republican presidential candidate Pat Buchanan wrote in a 2002 book Death of the West."
The 60 million Americans who claim German ancestry are fully assimilated while millions from Africa and Asia are still not full participants in American society."
Buchanan said in an interview that he sees some truth in what the evangelicals are saying about the traditional religious culture of Latinos but believes the religious leaders are overlooking the generation gap between immigrants raised abroad and those coming of age in the U.S.
The trouble is the assimilation is taking place to the secular culture among the young" Buchanan said. The young are being assimilated into gangs. The illegitimacy rate which is around 28 for white Americans and 40 for
all Americans is past 50 for Hispanics."
Buchanan also said he doesnt see how Europes difficulty absorbing Muslim immigrants proves that Latinos can be readily assimilated here.
Theres no doubt that people coming in from Christian cultures are more easily assimilated than those you see around the banlieues of Paris. Those folks arent being assimilated at all. But the idea that this is something thats going to make for a more united America is a total mistake" Buchanan said.
Another area of potential tension involves the religious conservatives steadfast opposition to recognition of same-sex relationships in any immigration reform bill.
A longtime activist for such recognition New York attorney Lavi Soloway said he welcomes the activity from the religious right and isnt fazed by their prediction. Soloway noted that Roman Catholic bishops have made similar categorical statements in the past but never actually turned against the legislation. We are a small issue. … I dont think in the end were a deal breaker" he said.
One of the greatest challenges the evangelical leaders face is persuading their own flocks to back immigration reform. Its unclear whether some of the edgier or more novel arguments may break through where past efforts have failed. Its also unclear how far those arguments will get on Capitol Hill.
A congressional hearing last week featuring religious leaders turned into a debate about the Bible and whether it provides more backing to reform advocates or to those who favor tougher enforcement of existing laws.
The Bible contains numerous passages that support the rule of law. The Scriptures clearly indicate that God charges civil authorities with preserving order protecting citizens and punishing wrongdoers" declared Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) a critic of immigration reform legislation.
Ezekiel 47 details the promised lands boundaries" noted Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) another immigration reform opponent.
Im not a theologian" Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) chimed in. I didnt come here with my Bible. Im a good Catholic you know. But Ill tell you I learned two things: to love God above everything else and to love my neighbor as I love myself."
For supporters of strict church-state separation the debate crossed a line but also demonstrated the perils of trying to use the Bible to set public policy.
Once we get into what law we should pass most consistent with the Bible I think we can have a lot of trouble" said Herb Silverman president of the Secular Coalition for America. Just because we have a predominant religion in this country doesnt make us a Christian country and we shouldnt try to make it more of a Christian country in terms of percentages
any more than we should make it a priority to be a white country because were predominantly white."
One religious conservative and immigration reform supporter who testified at the hearing said he wasnt troubled by the religious discussion but he did admit to a bit of surprise that Biblical teaching became a central focus.
Ive never heard so much citation of scripture by people on both sides of this issue" said Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel. I felt I was in seminary."
