5 Things Jesus Said That Should Guide Our Approach to Immigration

1. Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

One of Jesus’ most profound commandments is to love our neighbors as ourselves. In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus answers a question about what truly matters most in God’s law: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The principle of loving our neighbors as ourselves calls us to love all other people – including immigrants – in ways that reflect the care we have for our own well-being. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus expands the definition of “neighbor” beyond geographical or ethnic boundaries. The Samaritan, despite being from a despised group, shows compassion to a wounded Jew. This story was revolutionary for its time, as Jews and Samaritans were traditionally hostile toward each other. By choosing a Samaritan as the hero of the story, Jesus emphasized that love should not be limited by divisions in society.

This teaching has significant implications for how we view and treat immigrants. If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must extend this love to all people – including those who come from different countries and cultures. Immigrants often arrive in new nations seeking refuge from violence, poverty, and persecution. They may face many challenges, including language barriers, discrimination, and economic hardship. Loving them as ourselves can involve advocating for their rights, offering assistance, and creating inclusive communities where they can thrive.

This commandment also challenges us to examine our own prejudices and biases. It compels us to see immigrants not as “others” but as fellow human beings who are made in God’s image along with us, and who deserve to be treated with respect. The fear and mistrust that often surround immigration discussions are incompatible with the radical love that Jesus taught. By loving our neighbors as ourselves, we break down the walls of fear and build bridges of understanding and compassion. This might mean supporting policies that provide fair opportunities for immigrants to live and work, recognizing immigrant contributions to society, volunteering with organizations that assist refugees, or simply warmly welcoming newcomers in our communities.

Loving our neighbors as ourselves also encourages us to build relationships with immigrants in our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. It challenges us to listen to their stories, understand their struggles, and offer our friendship and support. Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves calls us to relate to immigrants with love.

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2. Welcome Strangers

Jesus emphasizes the importance of hospitality toward strangers. In Matthew 25:35, Jesus says: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” This passage highlights the significance of welcoming those who are new or in need. Welcoming the stranger is not just an act of charity but a fundamental expression of faith and obedience to God’s will. Jesus’ command to welcome strangers brings God’s call to welcome foreigners in Leviticus 19:33-34 to mind: “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

Jesus’ teachings on welcoming strangers don’t differentiate between legal and illegal immigrants, since his focus was on the ethical treatment of all people. However, this doesn’t mean that immigration laws are irrelevant. It’s also ethical to respect the laws that are in place. Illegal immigration continues to be a widespread problem. Illegal immigrants often say that they resorted to illegal immigration because the existing legal channels are limited or even inaccessible. By advocating for expanding legal pathways, we can give immigrants safer, more manageable options, reducing the need for dangerous and illegal methods. Some ideas for doing so include: streamlining refugee and asylum processes to make them more efficient, creating more international agreements to cut down on the number of immigrants trying to cross our borders illegally, and expanding visa programs – especially for immigrants who want to contribute to our workforce.

When we welcome immigrants, it’s important to uphold the current laws, but we should also try to take compassionate actions. Welcoming strangers, as Jesus taught, involves seeing immigrants as individuals with inherent worth who deserve respect and kindness regardless of their legal status. Through our churches and charities, we can directly support immigrants through food banks, shelter, legal assistance, language classes, and community integration programs. We can also offer friendship and support to immigrants in our communities. By taking these actions, we can live out Jesus’ call to welcome the strangers among us. 

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3. Provide for the Poor

Jesus consistently advocated for caring for the poor. In Luke 14:13-14, Jesus encourages us: “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Jesus tells a rich person in Mark 10:21: “…Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…”. Jesus tells the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46, where he identifies himself personally with the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned, declaring that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for him.

The way we treat the poor – including immigrants – is a direct reflection of our love for Jesus. Many immigrants arrive in poverty. Jesus calls us to help make sure that people’s basic needs are met. This can include providing food, shelter, healthcare, education, job training and opportunities, and other essential services through our churches and other community organizations. It can also involve advocating for immigration reform that provides fair and just pathways for immigrants to become integrated members of our society. By following Jesus’ example, we can ensure that immigrants have access to the basic necessities of life and the opportunity to thrive.

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4. Pursue Justice and Mercy

Jesus emphasized justice and mercy during his earthly ministry. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus criticizes religious leaders: “… you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” We can honor the importance of justice and mercy to Jesus by advocating for immigration policies that are both fair and compassionate.

Some ways we can pursue justice and mercy for immigration include creating policies that protect the rights and dignity of all immigrants, addressing the root causes that drive people to migrate, advocating for humane conditions in detention centers, and offering legal pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in a country who have made valuable contributions to society. As we do so, we can ask God for discernment to make the best decisions from day to day. Jesus’ teachings on justice and mercy challenge us to look beyond legalism and seek the well-being of all people, because Jesus cares about everyone. 

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5. Break Down Dividing Walls

Jesus’ work as the world’s Savior often involves breaking down barriers between different groups. Ephesians 2:14 points out: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” This verse, while specifically about the divide between Jews and Gentiles, can be applied to any divisions – including those based on nationality or immigration status. Jesus’ ministry is revolutionary in its inclusivity. He calls people from all backgrounds to loving unity through faith in God, the source of all love.

Jesus urges us in John 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Love requires breaking down the walls that divide us. It means noticing and appreciating the connections between us all as people who God loves. Rather than thinking of immigrants as separate from us as natives of our home country, we should recognize what we all share – a common humanity and a common need for God’s love.

One powerful example of Jesus breaking down dividing walls is his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-26). Jews and Samaritans had a long history of animosity, and Jewish customs often dictated that men should not speak publicly with women. Despite these barriers, Jesus engages the Samaritan woman in a meaningful conversation, offering her “living water” and revealing his identity as the world’s Savior. Jesus’ actions here serve as a model for how we should approach immigrants. Jesus didn’t let society’s prejudices dictate his choices. Instead, he saw the Samaritan woman as a person in need of love and truth.

We can see immigrants not through the lens of prejudices, but from God’s perspective, when we ask the Holy Spirit to help us do so. Seeing immigrants as people just like us who have been created in the image of God will help us connect with them in meaningful ways. Rather than allowing differences to divide us, we should see them as opportunities for mutual growth and understanding. Some steps we can take to break down dividing walls between us and immigrants include: learning more about the challenges immigrants face and the contributions they make to society, building intercultural friendships with immigrants, and creating welcoming places for immigrants in our churches.

Jesus’ emphasis on breaking down dividing walls challenges us to create a more inclusive and compassionate society. By educating ourselves, engaging in intercultural dialogue, advocating for inclusive policies, supporting community initiatives, and reflecting on our own attitudes, we can work towards unity in diversity. This approach not only honors the teachings of Jesus but also enriches our communities and reflects the inclusive nature of God's kingdom. In welcoming and valuing immigrants, we break down barriers and build a society rooted in love, justice, and mercy. 

In conclusion, Jesus doesn’t talk specifically about immigration in the Bible, but he does talk a lot about related issues that reveal his heart toward immigrants. We can look to Jesus’ teachings to guide us on how to approach the complex topic of immigration faithfully. What Jesus said about issues that relate to immigration transcend political divides. That timeless wisdom can give us a path forward that honors the worth of all immigrants who come to our country seeking better lives.

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