UNDERSTAND AND WELCOME THE DREAMERS
Imagine being punished for something that you had no control over. Now, imagine that said punishment is life-altering and devastating. This would be incredibly unfair and unjust.
But there are a number of people who live in Chattanooga and across the nation for whom such a thing is a very real concern. They are the undocumented young people who, through no fault of their own, were brought into this country as children. Chances are, you may know a young person who is undocumented. We, in fact, have had several who have attended our church over the years.
When it comes to the subject of immigration — especially these young “Dreamers” — the Bible has a lot to say. Denver Seminary Professor Dr. Daniel Carroll points out that the Hebrew word “closest to our concept of an immigrant is ‘ger,’ and it is mentioned 92 times in the Bible.” Consider the following passage from Leviticus: “The ger who dwells with you shall be like a native among you, and you shall love him like yourself, for you were gerim (plural of ger) in the land of Egypt.”
Such principles ring true today: A Dreamer is just as much a citizen as I am, just without the physical paperwork.
However, some in government do not see it that way.
A group of state attorneys general, including Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, have threatened to sue the White House unless it ends the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects Dreamers from being deported. This must be terrifying for the 8,340 young people in Tennessee who are able to live and work here because of DACA.
DACA is not a free pass for undocumented individuals. It does not give recipients permanent resident status, and it carries tough requirements:
You must currently be in school, have graduated from high school, earned a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or military.
You must not have been convicted of a felony, certain misdemeanors (including a single DUI), or three or more misdemeanors of any kind.
DACA allows hard-working, committed young people to contribute not only to our society, but also to our economy.
Today, Dreamers spend money in our local businesses, pay taxes and rent. Tomorrow, they will be doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and the like. Why would we want to deport people who play such a significant role in our community and our nation’s economy?
I am encouraged by the commitment by President Trump and other Republicans to protect the Dreamers. However, I think Attorney General Slatery and many others could benefit from reading and living the teachings of Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels, without knowing it.” We should be showing hospitality to Dreamers, not pushing them out the door.
I hope that Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker will join us in this support and co-sponsor the recently reintroduced Dream Act which would provide a longterm legislative solution for Dreamers.
Dr. Douglas Fairbanks is pastor of First-Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga.