Judge Bruce Einhorn presented students with a unique look at illegal immigration from a religious perspective raising the question of whether Jesus would deport illegal immigrants.
Though the topic of illegal immigration does not have the prevalence in the media as it once had during the 2008 presidential election the conversation continues on campus and beyond.
“I don’t think [Jesus] would deport them said freshman attendee Jessie Brown-Clark. We are all illegal immigrants unless we are Native American.”
The small lecture was hosted by the office of Intercultural Affairs (ICA) in order to educate students on this controversial issue.
“The ICA Office is interested in presenting opportunities for students to wrestle with issues that involve culture and diversity along with issues of faith wrote Don Lawrence, director of the Intercultural Affairs office, in an e-mail. The immigration issue is one that requires a very complex sense of intercultural competence as well as a sense of theological balance in order to justify one’s position concerning the subject.”
Einhorn said he wished to instruct students on “how one marries a commitment to faith and a commitment to fairness.”
Einhorn served as a federal immigration judge for 17 years before retiring in 2007.
“He brought a compelling mixture of faith and experience to the program Lawrence wrote.
Einhorn’s main argument was that the three great monotheistic religions— Christianity, Islam and Judaism— all hold common beliefs on the treatment of strangers and foreigners.
Einhorn cited Leviticus 19:34, The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself which is in both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles.
Einhorn used this verse, as well as ones in Jeremiah and Matthew, to illustrate that welcoming strangers and foreigners is something that God is very clear on.
He further said that the worst thing to do is to show hatred or dislike to illegal aliens just because they entered the country illegally.
There is something terribly wrong with having generalized hatred towards a group of people most of whom you don’t even know Einhorn said.
Mistrust and mistreatment of aliens, he argues, is not only not biblical, but also not constitutional.
The word in the constitution is person said Einhorn. You have to extend to them [illegal immigrants] the presumption of decency. You have to extend to them the same rights the same laws.”
Over and over again Einhorn emphasized to the students the principle of giving all strangers and foreigners “equality of respect.”
He pointed out that many evangelical Christian organizations were coming out in favor of immigration reform agreeing that aliens should be treated “equally before
the Lord.”
Many students agreed with Einhorn’s interpretation.
“Many religions say ‘treat others as you want to be treated'” said freshman Kyland Young who attended the speech. “I can’t think of any that say ‘treat citizens as you want to be treated.'”
Einhorn argues that mass deportation with a failure to discriminate between hardworking deserving people and those who are criminals would be wrong.
“They should be judged for themselves and for their character Einhorn said.
While not every student agreed with Einhorn’s views, they respected his ideas and were glad that he had chosen to address this topic.
You can’t just give blanket amnesty because if you do that there is no reason for someone to [come legally]” said senior Nathan Welch who did not attend. “I think if you look at immigration it should be ‘How would immigration best help America?'”
Welch agrees that some people should not necessarily be deported but he feels that it is necessary for others.
“We need to have a system Welch said.
Young said he agreed with Einhorn’s assessment.
I thought it was a really interesting perspective of the morality of immigration versus the morality of accepting all people Young said.
Lawrence said, following the presentation, he has heard positive reactions to the lecture and speaker.
I have been told that this was a very good program Lawrence wrote. I have heard only good feedback.”
While immigration reform continues to be controversial both morally and legally Einhorn wished all students to retain the idea that is represented in the verse he shared from Hebrews 13:2: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”