“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them…God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:27, 31)
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
This summer I’ve dived into immigration conversation and have been shocked, appalled, frustrated, but also hopeful at some of the things I’ve experienced. Immigration is a complex situation that spans from language issues, to legal issues, to family issues. It is also elicits some of the most heated opinions I’ve ever witnessed. It has been a struggle for me to reconcile some of the things I’ve heard from people I respect with the real experience of many immigrants, documented or undocumented.
Evoking the civil rights movement might sound cliche, but the situation is very reminiscent of the struggles for equal rights in the 60s and 70s. Upon reflection on my experiences this summer, two issues resonate with me: the human rights of these immigrants and the portrayal of their situation by the media which directly relates to whether they are seen as humans with inherent dignity and worth.
In 1970, during the tumultuous civil rights movement, nineteen students were arrested outside of Plain, Mississippi for taking part in a protest for equal employment. Their teacher and organizer, John M. Perkins, went to the jail they were being kept in to advocate for them but was also arrested and subsequently beaten and tortured because he was a black man standing up for equal rights.
Perkins was not a criminal, yet he was treated like one. Immigrants aren’t criminals, but they are often portrayed as such in the media. Indeed, my own sense of the issue was certainly flavored by what I saw on the news. For all I knew, most “illegal” immigrants jumped over the fence somewhere on the border. I believed that most Latinos were 
immigrants, documented or otherwise. Immigration was a Latino issue because all the “illegals” come from Latin America.
The media’s rhetoric surrounding immigration breeds fear. For example, according to Bill O’Reilly “the culture from which they [immigrants] come is a lot more violent than the USA.” According to Glenn Beck, “Recent investigations showed that in Los Angeles 95 percent of all warrants for homicide targeted illegal aliens.” However, a study conducted by researchers from Harvard University and the University of Michigan revealed both that immigrants committed fewer crimes than native-born citizens, and that a greater proportion of immigrants in a neighborhood was associated with lower rates of crime.
Even the term “illegal alien” automatically labels immigrants as criminals, foreign invaders, something to be feared. And it seems as though the language of fear has succeeded: in my conversations recently, people have either hinted at or said outright that because they are here “illegally,” the immigrants do not have the same rights as others in the US.
Many immigrants come here legally with a visa. After building relationships here, working here, starting families here, they apply for another visa. However, while their application is being processed their current visa expires. They are left with an impossible choice of leaving their community, family, and job or stay here “illegally” while their application is up in the air. Yes, some “jump the fence” but that certainly is not how many immigrants get here.
Additionally, many Latinos are US citizens. I reported last month that I was surprised to learn that the majority of Latinos in NC are here legally or are US citizens. Yet because of their ethnicity they are treated differently. In 2011, total Irish immigration increased about 12 percent. However, undocumented Irish immigrants had little trouble finding work in New York City. Racial profiling is a very real aspect of the immigration situation when Latino US citizens are asked for their citizenship papers but undocumented European immigrants are embraced.
The way we talk about immigration, even the very language we use, causes us to never once think of these people as humans, created in the image and likeness of God. Even if they aren’t citizens of the United States, they are citizens of heaven. What is more important? Even if they are labeled “illegal aliens” they are still created in the image of God. What is more important?
The civil rights movement of the 60s and 70s, held these biblical truths and helped people realize the fallenness of segregation and racism. Let us once again turn to these truths in order to ensure that all people are treated with human dignity, regardless of skin color or immigration status. Let our language and our portrayal of immigrants reflect these truths.
-Tim Hetzel, Duke Divinity Intern
Mr Hetzel,
Illegal aliens are the common terms which have been used for a long time now and were never intended to de-humanize anyone but to accurately distinguish people who sneak into this country illegally versu those who follow immigrant law. As you mentioned, these terms have been used in the Bible as well. When you just make the reference to our immigrant brothers, you group the illegal immigrants in with the legal immigrants which is not proper or accurate. People who play by the rules should not be grouped together with those who violate our laws. Yes Illegal aliens are fellow humans who deserve to be treated respectfully. But at the same time, they should be escorted back to their country of origin in a polite manner.
As a country of laws, we must obey our laws or we would sink into unorganized anarchy, which the Lord would not want for His people.
Nice work Tim. Please keep it up. I hope you and your family are well. Jeff
There is no question that immigrants are people. The problem for our country is to have secure borders from illegal immigration. I can understand people wanting to come here but we have laws that must be obeyed. Are you suggesting we allow all illegal aliens the right to become citizens after they broke our laws to enter this country? In my opinion, the solution is one that President Bush offered which is a guest worker program like they had in Europe.
Mr. Burns,
Thank you for your response. What I am suggesting is that we reframe the conversation about immigration, starting with the two Bible passages quoted at the beginning of the article. Any conversation that Christians have should be framed theologically since our understanding of God and Revelation is the place from which we draw our ethics.
So why not start with what the Bible teaches us about humanity? Humans are created in the image and likeness of God, which God saw as “very good.” Therefore, when having a conversation that deals with humanity, we need to keep in mind that all humans are created in the image of God, and therefore all humans deserve respect. Language that is used primarily to dehumanize and instill fear about immigrants does not respect their inherent human dignity. When we call immigrants “aliens” we need to think about what we are trying to convey with our words. In our culture, “alien” is a term that describes something foreign, something to be feared, something that is invading. That is not what these immigrants are, and the term “alien” does not respect their dignity.
Similarly, the term “illegal:” Branding people as “illegals” already classifies them as criminals. It is used to make them seem suspicious immediately, without ever thinking about their situation. The term is used to stop the conversation before it has really begun. However, many undocumented immigrants came here legally, with the proper paperwork, through the proper channels. They started a family here, started a job here, and started relationships here while they still had their visas. But the wait time for renewal is so long and so complicated that our immigration system has made them break the law. Punishing them for something beyond their control does not respect their human dignity. Misrepresenting them as violent criminals does not respect their human dignity (see Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reily).
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with the words “alien” and “illegal.” In fact, the Bible often uses the translation “alien” when referring to non-Hebrews in Israel (for example: “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.” Leviticus 19:33, or “You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 23:9). And “illegal” is the normal term for illicit activity. However, in the context of immigration in the United States, these terms have been employed to dehumanize and to instill fear about immigrants. If we are to take seriously the teaching that humans are created in the image of God, our language needs to reflect the dignity and humanity of each person.
The second verse at the top of the post is just to remind us of our priorities. Americans are very concerned about our country’s sovereignty and security, and to an extent we should be. However, we are reminded that America is not where we have our ultimate citizenship. We belong to a much greater kingdom. Our immigrant brothers and sisters also belong to that kingdom. What does it mean to prioritize citizenship in heaven over citizenship in America? How can the church act so that we can “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) to all the members of the Body of Christ? Once we have these priorities in place, then we can enter more deeply into the conversation about policy change.