Tag Archives: undocumented immigrants

Water to a Stranger

Is it wrong to give a thirsty stranger a drink of water?

An American teacher was charged with a crime for feeding and sheltering two needy people. The teacher’s actions were similar to ones mentioned by Jesus as a sign of those who follow him (Matthew 25, New Testament). Apparently, however, these kinds of deeds are crimes if the people so helped are undocumented immigrants.

The right to secure borders should not preclude actions like dropping off water bottles to human beings dying of thirst or taking sick ones to a hospital.

Jim Wallis, of Sojourners, has said of the charged teacher (later acquitted): “He is being prosecuted for following the command of Jesus, which is to feed the hungry, refresh the thirsty and invite in the stranger.” (Quoted in “I can do no other,” Economist, June 15, 2019.)

A New Deal for Immigration?

Few issues divide Americans like undocumented immigrants.

Peter King, a U.S. congressional representative from New York (Democratic) and Tom Suozzi, a Republican representatives from the same state, sketched out a plan to lessen immigration problems. (“A Grand Compromise on Immigration,” The New York Times, March 24, 2019)

The plan, if carried out, might solve the status of about 5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, plus provide money for alleviating border problems.

Today’s undocumented immigrants include the Dreamers (those without documentation brought as children to the U.S.). To qualify according to the plan, they must have graduated from high school, have no record of criminal activity, and be in the military or working full time for at least three years or attending college.

In addition, the plan would be available to those in temporary protected status (TPS). Beneficiaries of TPS are those who have been allowed to stay temporarily in the United States because of natural disasters, violence, or extreme poverty in their home countries.

To start the process, each applicant would be required to pay $2,000 dollars. The funds raised would be used first of all to fund the process.

The excess would go to additional physical structures along the southern border, aid to Central American countries to discourage further immigration from those countries, and improved border technology.

One advantage for the immigrants targeted by the program is that they already are productive individuals and are familiar with American culture.