Evangelicals and DACA

PRESS RELEASES:

EVANGELICALS’ SUPPORT FOR DREAMERS HIGHLIGHTS URGENT NEED FOR ACTION Dec. 1, 2017 EVANGELICAL LEADERS CALL FOR LEGAL PATH FOR DREAMERS Nov. 29, 2017 FAITH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUSINESS LEADERS CALL FOR DREAMER LEGISLATION Sept. 13, 2017 LOCAL LEADERS TARGET CONGRESS FOLLOWING DACA RESCISSION Sept. 6, 2017 DREAM ACT DRAWS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AROUND THE COUNTRY July 21, 2017

MEDIA HITS AND OP-EDS:

BAPTIST PRESS: Time ticking to protect Dreamers, Baptists tell media By Tom Strode Dec. 1, 2017 http://bpnews.net/50000/time-ticking-to-protect-dreamers-baptists-tell-media

CHRISTIAN POST (Liz Dong Op-Ed): Dreamers Are Thankful By Liz Dong Nov. 22, 2017 https://www.christianpost.com/voice/dreamers-are-thankful.html

CBN NEWS: Evangelical Leaders Call for Congress to Act on Behalf of Dreamers By Caitlin Burke Oct. 6, 2017 http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2017/october/evangelical-leaders-call-for-congress-to- act-on-behalf-of-dreamers

BAPTIST PRESS: Evangelical leaders call for help for Dreamers By Tom Strode Oct. 5, 2017 http://www.bpnews.net/49670/evangelical-leaders-call-for-help-for-dreamers

CHRISTIAN POST: Evangelical, Latino Leaders Urge Trump, Congress Not to Punish Dreamers With Deportations By Stoyan Zaimov Oct. 6, 2017 http://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-latino-leaders-urge-trump-congress-not-to- punish-dreamers-with-deportations-201928/

CHRISTIANITY TODAY (Stetzer Op-Ed): DACA Done Right: A Moment We All Can Stand with DREAMers By Ed Stetzer Sept. 5, 2017 http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2017/september/daca-trump-obama-congress- evangelicals.html

CHARISMA NEWS: Evangelical Leaders Plead Administration for Swift Action Following DACA Termination Sept. 5, 2017 https://www.charismanews.com/politics/issues/67157-evangelical-leaders-plead- administration-for-swift-action-following-daca-termination

CHRISTIAN HEADLINES: Evangelical Leaders Ask President Trump to Protect ‘Dreamers’ By Scott Slayton Sept. 5, 2017 http://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/scott-slayton/evangelical-leaders-ask- president-trump-to-protect-dreamers.html

PRI’S THE WORLD: Evangelicals are speaking out in favor of DACA recipients By Matthew Bell Sept. 5, 2017 https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-09-05/evangelicals-are-speaking-out-favor-daca-recipients

TENNESSEE STAR: Southern Baptist ERLC’s Russell Moore Urges Trump Not To Deport DACA Recipients Who Entered U.S. Illegally As Children By Wendy Wilson Sept. 3, 2017 http://tennesseestar.com/2017/09/03/southern-baptist-erlcs-russell-moore-urges-trump-not- to-deport-daca-recipients-who-entered-u-s-illegally-as-children/ PR WEB: World Relief: Evangelical Pastors Urge President, Congress to Protect ‘Dreamers’ Sept. 1, 2017 http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/09/prweb14654985.htm

CHRISTIANITY TODAY: Evangelicals to Trump: Don’t Deport Our Next Generation of Church Leaders By Kate Shellnut Sept. 1, 2017 http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/september/evangelicals-to-trump-dont-deport- dreamers-daca-immigration.html THE CHRISTIAN POST: Russell Moore, Evangelical Leaders Urge Trump to Protect DACA Recipients By Samuel Smith Aug. 31, 2017 http://www.christianpost.com/news/russell-moore-evangelical-leaders-urge-trump-protect- daca-recipients-197480/

BIBLICAL RECORDER NOW: Baptist leaders ask Trump to protect ‘Dreamers’ By Seth Brown, BR Content Editor Aug. 31, 2017 https://brnow.org/News/August-2017/Baptist-leaders-ask-Trump-to-protect-Dreamers

ORLANDO SENTINEL (Salguero Op-Ed): Evangelical Latinos stand with immigrant youth By Gabriel Salguero Aug. 28, 2017 http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-latino-evangelicals-stand-support-dreamers- 20170828-story.html

UNIVISION (Rodriguez Op-Ed): President Trump: Now is the Time to Fight for DACA By Rev. Samuel Rodriguez Aug. 26, 2017 http://www.univision.com/univision-news/opinion/president-trump-now-is-the-time-to-fight- for-daca

THE HILL (Castellanos Op-Ed): Supporting 'Dreamers' is our civic and moral duty By Noel Castellanos Aug. 15, 2017 http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/homeland-security/346612-supporting-dreamers-is- our-civic-and-moral-duty

CCCU: CCCU Supports New Congressional Efforts to Pass DREAM Act By Morgan Satre July 24, 2017 https://cccu.org/news-updates/cccu-supports-new-congressional-efforts-pass-dream-act/

Evangelical Immigration Table August 30, 2017

The Honorable Paul Ryan Council for Christian Colleges Speaker of the House and Universities H-232 The U.S. Capitol Ethics and Religious Liberty Washington, DC 20515 Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention Dear Speaker Ryan:

Korean Churches for Community Development/Faith We are writing to support your efforts to find a workable solution for Dreamers, and Community Empowerment those young undocumented immigrants in our country who were brought here by their parents and who contribute great things to our society. Many of these young National Association of immigrants are currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Evangelicals (DACA) program, but we share your concerns that an executive order is a National Hispanic Christian problematic tool to accomplish these policy objectives. The complexity of this Leadership Conference particular issue begs for a legislative solution and demands leadership on Capitol Hill. We are also calling on President Trump to ensure these people are protected The Wesleyan Church while a legislative solution is finalized.

World Relief We have seen immigrants strengthen our great nation throughout its history, including their positive impact on our churches, our communities, and our economy. One group of immigrants who exemplify these benefits are young people brought to our country by their parents as children. We carry particular concern for the future of these Dreamers because they have much to offer America. They were brought here without their consent, and in most cases the United States is the only home they have known.

We know that these young people who stepped forward in good faith are not threats to America. By enrolling in DACA, they already have submitted to screening for criminal activity and potential threats to national security. As a country, we need to focus on real solutions for our broken immigration system that address safety, security and economic fairness. Deporting these young people runs counter to these priorities.

These young people have shown through their great determination and fortitude that our nation is better off because of their presence. They are leading in our churches and our communities. They are studying in our universities and creating jobs for American workers. They are paying taxes. We hope that you will work to find solutions that allow these young people to stay in our country long- term and continue to be a blessing to our communities.

Now is the time for bold leadership and action. President Trump has repeatedly indicated his strong support for these young immigrants, assuring them that they should “rest easy” and that he was “not going to hurt those kids.” President Trump has also said privately, drawing from his experience as a grandfather and a father, that he would “protect these children.” We call on the president to ensure this population is protected while a legislative solution is worked out.

We ask you to work with Senate leadership and the White House to develop and pass legislation to protect these young immigrants. The recent introductions of bipartisan, bicameral bills that would provide permanent legislative solutions for Dreamers provide several vehicles for Congress to deal with this issue in a just

The Evangelical Immigration Table www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com Evangelical Immigration Table and humane way. We also call on you to work with the White House to ensure that these Dreamers are protected while Congress is finalizing a permanent legislative solution. Council for Christian Colleges and Universities The Evangelical Immigration Table is a broad coalition of evangelical

Ethics and Religious Liberty organizations and leaders advocating for immigration reform consistent with Commission of the Southern biblical principles. As Christians, we believe that all immigrants are made in the Baptist Convention image of God (Genesis 1:27), deserving to be treated with dignity. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find God commanding his people to treat foreigners Korean Churches for Community Development/Faith with special hospitality. In Leviticus 19:33-34, God reminds the Israelites: and Community Empowerment When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. National Association of The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Evangelicals Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord

National Hispanic Christian your God. Leadership Conference From Abraham to Paul, many biblical heroes were themselves immigrants, The Wesleyan Church including even Jesus, whose parents brought Him to Egypt to escape persecution

World Relief early in his life. As Americans, we are proud that our country has affirmed this biblical principle of valuing and protecting immigrants while also protecting national security.

We offer our prayers as you and your advisors make this and countless other important decisions. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Leith Anderson, President, National Association of Evangelicals

Scott Arbeiter, President, World Relief

Shirley V. Hoogstra, President, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

Hyepin Im, President & CEO, Korean Churches for Community Development/ Faith and Community Empowerment

Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador, General Superintendent Emerita, The Wesleyan Church

Russell Moore, President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

The Evangelical Immigration Table www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com Evangelical Leader Statement of Principles on Dreamers

Christians, like most Americans, recognize immigration policy is complex and the search for political consensus is difficult. While we feel the tension between our obligations to both Christian compassion and respect for the rule of law, we reject the idea that the two are irreconcilable. Accepting this false dichotomy perpetuates an immigration system which all Americans agree is broken.

Today, there are 800,000 immigrants who find themselves in a new stage of uncertainty and insecurity. A federal program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has been rescinded. DACA deferred deportation proceedings for a subgroup of undocumented immigrants—those who entered the United States as children brought by their parents. Participants in the program, among other requirements, demonstrated a commitment to education, employment, or service in our military; have no criminal backgrounds; and reported for a biometric appointment with federal officials.

We support the underlying policy aim of DACA because we believe this is a special category of immigrants who are not legally culpable, who in most cases have no home other than the United States, and who are a blessing to their communities and to their churches. At the same time, many of us shared a skepticism about the prudence of accomplishing the aim solely through temporary action of the Executive Branch. Indeed, the reversal of this policy and the uncertainty created for existing DACA recipients prove that a proper solution requires legislative action.

Biblically understood, a just system of law always has in view human flourishing. We advocate for change to particular laws when needed because of our respect for the rule of law. Many of us have participated in our nation’s debate over immigration policy reform for well over a decade, and these conversations within our churches about the national immigration crisis have produced significant consensus among members of our churches and communities.

We now call on Congress for a timely solution on a narrow issue of national consensus: provide a legal remedy for the subset of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children by their parents, those immigrants commonly called Dreamers.

To that end, we offer the following principles. Statement of Principles

We believe it is unjust to punish children for offenses they did not commit. We recognize that Dreamers are a special category of immigrants because they broke no law and committed no offense. How we treat this category of immigrants is therefore not just a policy or political issue—it is a moral issue. Subjecting Dreamers to deportation or lives of perpetual insecurity in the shadows of our communities is an offense to the rule of law and to the purpose of government, which is for the good of people.

We believe America’s borders must be secure. The federal government bears a God-given responsibility to ensure the security of our nation. We hold a variety of opinions on how best to achieve satisfactory border security, but we all agree that border security is a necessary ingredient to reforming our immigration system.

We believe we should welcome Dreamers of good moral character and who are working hard to contribute to our country. Young immigrants who participated in the DACA program have demonstrated they are good neighbors who contribute positively to our country. They have proven this by pursuing education, working and paying taxes, sacrificially serving in our military, and rejecting lives of crime. We also believe that governments have a fundamental responsibility to protect their citizens. A solution for Dreamers rightly excludes those convicted of felonies or multiple misdemeanors.

We believe Dreamers deserve to be recognized as our fellow Americans. Foundational American ideas like freedom, self-government, and equality are worthy of our allegiance as Christians when they harmonize with biblical truths about the dignity of every human being. We are a nation founded on ideas, not ethnicity; being American is about pledging allegiance to our nation’s ideals. We should include Dreamers, who already have shown themselves willing to play by the rules, in that opportunity to become Americans.

We believe our government should provide a pathway to permanent legal status and/or citizenship for eligible Dreamers. The fact that so many immigrants are in a state of limbo is evidence both political parties have failed for decades to develop and implement sound immigration policy. A proper and just solution will bring our neighbors out of the shadows of civic life, cultivate the stability of families, and provide the opportunity to work legally. Such provisions not only serve the interests of Dreamers, but are foundational for the flourishing of our communities.

We believe a just government works to maintain the integrity of families. God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society and that children are a blessing from the Lord. Broken families, wherever they are found, put women and children at risk and increase likelihood of poverty and crime—as well as the likelihood of dependence on government programs. Policymakers must therefore prioritize and uphold the role of the family when addressing immigration policy.

The time for doing nothing is long expired. Both political parties are guilty of failing to enforce immigration policy and perpetuating the status quo to the detriment of both U.S. citizens and undocumented immigrants. It is now incumbent on members of both parties to set politics aside for the sake of our nation, its families, and its communities and pass a legislative solution for Dreamers. *Please note that the title and institution listed for each signatory is used for identification purposes only and does not necessarily constitute an official endorsement by the institution.

Russell Moore Barry Creamer President President Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Criswell College

Daniel Akin Reverend Byron J. Day President Pastor, President Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Emmanuel Baptist Church, National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention Randy Alcorn Founder and Director Mark DeMoss Eternal Perspective Ministries Founder DeMoss Public Relations Leith Anderson President David Dockery National Association of Evangelicals President Trinity International University Scott Arbeiter President Jordan Easley World Relief Senior Pastor Englewood Baptist Church Bruce Ashford Provost / Professor of Theology & Culture Erick Erickson Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Editor The Resurgent Hunter Baker University Fellow Ronnie Floyd Union University Senior Pastor, Former President Cross Church, Southern Baptist Convention Rosaria Butterfield Author and Speaker Carmen Fowler LeBerge President, Radio Host D.A. Carson Presbyterian Lay Committee, The Reconnect President The Gospel Coalition Micah Fries Senior Pastor Matt Chandler Brainerd Baptist Church Lead Teaching Pastor The Village Church Timothy George Dean Mike Cosper Beeson Divinity School Writer, Speaker, and Podcaster Harbor Media Jack Graham Michael W. McConnell Senior Pastor, Former President Director of the Constitutional Law Center Prestonwood Baptist Church, Southern Baptist Convention Stanford Law School

J.D. Greear Tony Merida Senior Pastor Founding Pastor, Associate Pastor of Preaching The Summit Church Imago Dei Church, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Shirley V. Hoogstra President James Merritt Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Lead Pastor, Former President Cross Pointe Church, Southern Baptist Convention D.A. Horton Lead Pastor Richard Mouw Reach Fellowship President Emeritus, Professor Fuller Theological Seminary Jamie Ivey Author and Podcaster Samuel “Dub” Oliver The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey President Union University Thomas S. Kidd Distinguished Professor of History Ray Ortlund Baylor University Pastor Immanuel Church Richard Land President David Prince Southern Evangelical Seminary Pastor of Preaching and Vision Ashland Avenue Baptist Church Greg Laurie Pastor Karen Swallow Prior Harvest Christian Fellowship Professor of English Liberty University Shai Linne Recording Artist Rev. Samuel Rodriguez President Nathan Lino National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference Lead Pastor, President Northeast Houston Baptist Church, Southern Baptists of Robbie Seay Texas Convention Campus Lead Pastor Bayou City Fellowship Jo Anne Lyon General Superintendent Emerita and Ambassador Rich Stearns The Wesleyan Church President World Vision U.S. J.R. Vassar Jen Wilkin Lead Pastor Author and Minister Church at the Cross The Village Church

A.B. Vines George Wood Pastor General Superintendent New Seasons Church Assemblies of God

Michael Wear Bryant Wright Founder Senior Pastor, Former President Public Square Strategies Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Southern Baptist Convention

David Whitlock Afshin Ziafat President Lead Pastor Oklahoma Baptist University Providence Church