Dear Editor:

I am writing both as a concerned citizen and a person of Christian faith to publicly voice my strongest opposition to the Arizona-style immigration legislation scheduled for introduction this week in the Wyoming legislature.

In Scripture, the ethical responsibility of extending hospitality to strangers is a key requirement of faithfulness. The overall theme of the Bible’s teaching is summed up in Leviticus 19:34: “The alien who resides among you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” In the New Testament, Jesus tells us to welcome the stranger (cf. Matthew 25:35), for “what you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto me (Matthew 25:40).”

Why is the matter of immigrant justice such a concern of the Jewish and Christian faiths and what bearing does it have on the current immigration debate in our country? In short, the biblical mandate reminds us that injustice anywhere leads inexorably to injustice everywhere. Whenever there is a class of people without rights, without voice, without legal recourse and protection, it endangers not only that group, but threatens the well being of society as a whole.

People from all walks of life can agree that the immigration system in this country is broken: our need for comprehensive reform is clear. Regrettably, so-called “tough enforcement” bills, patterned after Arizona’s SB1070 do little to address the problem in substantive terms, but instead, appeal to the basest tactics (racial profiling and inhumane detentions) without ever addressing the root causes of migration.

Wouldn’t our local and federal legislatures be better served by supporting fair and comprehensive immigration reform that: reunites long-separated families separated due to visa backlogs, protects worker rights, reforms inhumane detention processes, makes the visa system more efficient, and most importantly, provides a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants so they can pay taxes, learn English, and contribute as productive members of our society?

We are all God’s children and we are called to care about the well being of all people—including our immigrant brothers and sisters. Our communities suffer when U.S. immigration laws offer no hope for undocumented immigrants, separated families, or exploited workers to achieve a better life. I encourage you to join me in asking our state and federal legislatures to work for solutions rooted in hope rather than fear.

Rev. Joe Bair

Douglas, WY