Pardon me, can I check your papers?
I know many of you will disagree with my comments on this post, but I need to vent for a moment. I am a retired medical professional who volunteers in a local free medical clinic and participate in mission efforts to Latin American countries. I am also a Christian who works to honor God. I am also a patriotic US citizen and have served in the US Army for several years.
In that context, I am amazed that two of the states adjacent to my home town (Alabama, Georgia) have now decided to make it a crime for me to transport a Hispanic person in my vehicle if that person does not have all the required legal papers. I have Hispanic friends. I don't work for the FBI, so I don't check everybody's papers before I associate with them. I don't check papers on other people, so I don't intend to check papers on my Hispanic friends. I consider myself a friend to everybody. I go places with Hispanic people. Sometimes I drive. Now, it appears, my country believes I have committed a crime.
As I said earlier, I personally subscribe to the doctrine of Christianity. One of our books (Leviticus 19:33) instructs "do not mistreat the alien in your land, for you were aliens in Egypt".
I don't know if these laws are passed out of fear, jealousy, or other emotions, but they do not appeal "to the better angels of our nature" (a quote from Lincoln, I believe).
How will I react to these new laws? I don't know. I suspect I'll do whatever I believe is right.
I'm glad my ancestors immigrated in the 1830's, before the country got this way. I also hope they are more hospitable when I travel to their countries.
26 Answers
What a hot topic. Don't get me started....
As a naturalized immigrant myself, I've taken a few hits, though not as badly as many today.
Personally, I don't see this as a religious issue. It's a human rights issue. While our politicians have debated tirelessly about human rights abuses in China and many other countries, they are promoting human rights violations right here at home.
The politicians are not alone in causing this condition. The mass media is a big business interest that places no value on fact-checking, challenging, or investigating. They merely report the unfiltered lies and distortions spewed by politicians and pundits and are effectively a money-making amplifier of deceit, doubt, and demagoguery.
I will just add something that a Mexican astronaut who lives in the USA said:
Just when you look through the hatch of the spacecraft is when you realize how beautiful the world looks like without borders.
Thank you for posting this thread Dogwood. Like Feliz and yourself, I have also been a believer since I was 20. I also agree with Julian that it just takes a decent person to realize that treating immigrants poorly is appalling. In fact, I know a few (thankfully only a few) Christians who buy into the idea that anyone who crosses the border from Mexico into the U.S. is a criminal or out to drain our resources. I myself have driven with people who were not citizens at the time and I would do it again. I have no idea if that is a law in my state or not.
What really is painful to listen to are the people whose own parents and grandparents immigrated here within the last century. Now that they are safely in the country, they have the audacity to complain about anyone else who dares to dream of a brighter future for their family. Just days ago on my way into Manhattan, I noticed that the Statue of Liberty was still in the same place with her torch raised high.
I also hope they are more hospitable when I travel to their countries.
On Sunday, I will be going to Mexico for the week. Why do we continually return there? Well for my family, we are always so amazed at how welcoming and encouraging the people of Mexico are. We love being there not only for the beauty of the country itself, but also because the people are beautiful inside and out.
Sometimes it can be so discouraging with all of the hatred and bigotry in the world. I have a musician friend who wrote a beautiful song entitled "Red". I love this song because at the core of the lyrics, it focuses on the fact that despite our varied skin colors and countries of origin......we all bleed the same color......****Red****
Thank you for posting. This gets really personal with me as well. From my Christian perspective, I believe it is God first, people second, not God first, country second, then people (I've heard "God and Country" all my life). These new laws have made me sick to my stomach. I hear the political reasons for these laws on television, I hear the real reasons when ignorant fools feel inclined to share their views with me. I would like for just one of these politicians to look my friends, who have left their families in another country, families that don't have enough food to eat, look them in the eye and tell them, "no, I don't want you here working like a slave in 105 degree heat out in the fields so you can feed your family back home" or to listen to the prayers of a woman who misses her daughter so much that she weeps before God entreating Him to help. I've had so many heart wrenching personal experiences.... well, I could go on and on, but I'd better not. There are many things that are broken and need to be fixed, but this is not the way to do it. God help us.
But being Christian or of any other religion has nothing to do with this. Recognizing decency in people is simply a matter of being civilized, having culture, and having enough intelligence to act in a humane manner.
You couldn't have said it better Julián.
I totally support this, is really hard to listen very often that laws in the USA are changing in order to make inmigrant's (or people who look like one) life harder and harder, as if they hadn't enough losing they're child's childhood or graduations at school etc.
The worst of all is that we can't do anything, just listen the abuses and inequities that they suffer everyday.
The only thing that makes me happy is that there are people out there like you who care about them and I only hope that they have the luck to find people with the same kindness of you all the time.
I am writing because as an attorney, reading the inaccuracies in the link posted by DJ Huero, I cannot remain silent about this issue.
The news media and politicians around the world are either uninformed or simply speak to their own interest without regard to the reality of fact.
Just for the purpose of clarification, being undocumented in Mexico is not a crime:
The Mexican immigration law only sends those to prison, who are involved in human trafficking, and in some cases those in authority who violate the law. (art. 113, 114, 138 among others of the Ley General de Población ) .
All others (undocumented or illegal) are fined or arrested for as much as 36 hours if they are unable to pay the fine. (arts. 115-127, 140, among others of the Ley General de Población)
Undocumented or illegal are either ordered to leave or deported if they refuse or fail to correct their status. (197, 209, 210, 211, 212 among others of the Reglamento de la Ley General de Población) (an administrative hearing is requiered)
All government officials are obligated by law to assist immigrants, with or without documentation ( arts. 137,138 of Reglamento de la Ley General de Población).
The federal police are responsible for enforcing the immigration laws. Not all federal police are credentialed to do so; primarily those that work the border areas, have the appropriate commission. (arts. 195, 196 of the Reglamento de la Ley General de Población).
To check the laws, follow the links.
I don't like to re-post to my own thread, but consider the following bit of prose. You will likely recognize it.
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, Tempest-tossed to me I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning, And her name, Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome; Her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor That twin cities frame. "Keep, Ancient Lands, your storied pomp!" Cries she with silent lips.
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, Tempest-tossed to me I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
I submit, for your consideration (without identifying someone specifically), a young, hard-working man from a Latin American country. Educated in the a university of his country, working two jobs in his country, is repeatedly robbed, kidnapped, and held for ransom. Finally, tired of the situation, he leaves his country for the US. His work ethic follows him, he meets a wonderful Latin American woman, marries, has a child (in the US). His family consistently contributes to the community, but, due to the lethargic, unresponsive nature of the immigration service, he continues in "limbo" for years.
Now the government tells me I can't take him to lunch without committing a crime? Don't we have greater problems in this country?
These statutes will be challenged in court, but citizens arrested for this "offense" will spend a lot of money mounting a defense against it. They will likely not stand, but the message they send is (in my opinion) totally un-American and un-Godly.
I promise I won't post anything else to this thread. You can see I'm pretty animate about it. 
Dogwood, I can understand your frustration as I too have friends in the USA who are here "illegally." They are not criminals nor are they sucking the state dry in benefits as most of the riffraff do who are born here. On the contrary, my "illegal" friends are productive people of an elevated culture (not productive in the sense of procreating just to put more kids on welfare).
Interestingly enough, the financial sector of the USA has for some time now recognized the contributions "illegals" make and are offering them financing for homes and cars because they know they will meet their obligations. And they pay income taxes as well. The IRS doesn't care if they are "illegal" or not.
But being Christian or of any other religion has nothing to do with this. Recognizing decency in people is simply a matter of being civilized, having culture, and having enough intelligence to act in a humane manner. Certain people - many of whom are religious - just want to make life difficult for "illegals" because they are scared - just like the nazis were afraid of the Jews in the 30s and 40s. Unfortunately, it's human nature to be afraid of those who can do better than we can.
Dogwood, I applaud your compassion!
Dogwood, I really feel for you brother in this situation. I am also a believer and have been one for over 20 years. (Since April 1987 at age 26)
I think it is truly wonderful that you are involved in reaching out to these people in need and are willing to show God's love to them. ...whatever the cost I am sure that God will reward you well for this in teh life to come 
I do empathizze with you/feel for you in this situation and am sure that I would feel equally frustrated by the politics involved in all this. Just trust God and pray that he will show you his way through this situation. I have heard how God has done miracles enabling people to smuggle in bibles into countries forbidding them.
I would encourage you to re-read Acts chapters 4 and 5 While we, as christians are called by God to obey the authorities which are ordained by him this only extends to teh point where there is no direct conflict between man's laws/rules and God''s commands which are greater! Where there is a situation/or there are situations where clear conflicts of interest exist, then we are called to follow ie obey God instead of man/peeople
Peter said in Acts chapter 5 vs 28 , 29 and Acts Ch 4 vs 16 -20 when he and John were faced with a command not t preach the Gospel/Good news ''We must obey God rather than men'' This is a true principle that our pastor has preached and has menbtioned when talking in conversation with me personally
Human beings, especially poiliticians, have different agendaa than that of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob because their motives are so often tied up with; party politics, vested interests, fear of upsetting a minority /the majority and so losing votes etc...
Finally, when faced with such tricky situations I just pray that God would give me wisdom and boldness to do what is right in HIS sight with God's love and trust to his grace to deal with the consequences as his disciples did.
I also remember the example of one of my heros a german pastor called Dietrrch Bonhoffer who stood up agaisnt the nazis and told them that they were wrong Tragically and not surprisingly he paid for it with his life! We must be such people who will sytand up for God's standards of righteousness and truth even if we ruffle a few feathers in doing so Take courage, my friend, God himself will have the final word in this world and those who oppose him will have to give an account to him when they stand before him at the judgement seat of Christ
My mom always taught me, go with your gut, and do what's right. As long as you follow God's will and "lean not on your own understanding" you'll never have to worry because he'll never give you more than you can handle.
This whole immigration stuff is reeeeally starting to bother me. I mess, it made me mad at first, and I even felt a little relieved when they started shooting politicians in Arizona (which in that moment I scared myself). But now i'm beyond mad and I'm upset and somewhat embarrassed, I mean, I have to tell people I'm from this country that can't stop pointing fingers at others before it fixes itself. We can't seem to stop terrorism so what, now we're going to go back to picking on minorities. I guess history does repeat itself. 
I'm trying to not pay attention and just cast my vote for what's right when I have the chance, but other than that, I feel helpless in the whole thing. I'm just glad Texas is practically Mexico and that garbage will never pass here. 
Wow, I could go on for awhile about this, I have many bottled emotions on this, but I'll spare y'all. 
This was originally posted on the café, where I saw it and asked dogwood to open a thread
This is an interesting topic.
I think what they are trying to do is make a big brother idea out of the whole problem with immigrants, as the politicians have proven useless in finding a solution they now want to burden normal citizens with the duty to report and if that does not work, ok let's fine and make criminals out of the normal citizens who don't obey.
I don't check papers on other people, so I don't intend to check papers on my Hispanic friends.
The idea of asking a friend or anybody really who asks you for a lift for his ID is so absurd....I have no words, thanks for posting this, dogwood
Pesta said:
Personally, I don't see this as a religious issue. It's a human rights issue.
I think that it's a bit of both.
It's a religious issue because good Christians don't discriminate. All men (and women) are children of God. I am a Buddhist, which means that I do my very best to live by standards such as the Golden Rule (Do Unto Others) and I strive to treat all humans equally.
It's a human rights issue because it´s absolutely absurd to have different standards and practices for people of different races, sexual orientation, gender, etc. How can a group of people decide which humans are better or worse than others?
As Martin Luther King said, I too would like to live in a nation where people are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Personally, I don't see this as a religious issue. It's a human rights issue.
I agree with pesta, I don''t think this has anything to do with being a Christian.
This is common sense. Do only have religious people common sense? I don't think so. Do only Christians do things for others , help them out, stand up for them? Well, no.
I am not going with the religious part, but I do feel strongly about being told what to do at all times.
It's a religious issue because good Christians don't discriminate.
Do non religious people discriminate? I don't agree with this at all.
To make this political issue a religious one is a mistake.
As the tide of anti immigrant anger and fear rises in the US I'm sure we will see more and more laws of this kind. I believe It is our right and responsibility to stand against unjust laws through civil disobedience. The law should not compel us to check the status of those we befriend, drive in our car, rent an apartment to, provide treatment to, educate, or sit next to on the bus. If the citizenry say no to these laws, they will not stand.
I absolutely adore the people of Mexico........the hell with this nonsense. Lets Make it UMexico
