When strangers sojourn with you in your land, you shall not do them wrong. The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Lev. 19:33-34).
Communities throughout our world are suffering from war, civil conflict and persecution for political, religious, ethnic or social reasons. The World Council of Churches reports that two out of every 100 human beings are fleeing their country, and many families are forcibly displaced within their own countries. For these reasons we stand firmly opposed to legislative action such as that proposed in California's Proposition 187 or any similar legislation that may have the following effects:
Public Schools: districts are required to verify the legal status of students enrolling for the first time. The status of parents or guardians of students must also be verified;
Higher Education: undocumented immigrants are barred from community colleges and public institutions of higher learning;
Health: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for public health services except for emergency care;
Welfare: undocumented immigrants are already ineligible for the major welfare programs. Most child welfare and foster care benefits are also eliminated;
Law Enforcement: Service providers are required to report suspected undocumented immigrants. Law enforcement agencies must verify the residency status of individuals arrested or suspected of being in the United States illegally. When legal residency cannot be proved, the person will be reported to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service;
With grace and concern, the Church must address the legal, economic, social and human rights conditions of people who are legal or undocumented immigrants, and to oppose the introduction of legislation by any state that would cause human suffering and a denial of such individual's rights as interpreted through our biblical understanding of God's grace to all peoples, but especially to the Sojourner. Our faith, grounded in Christ and in the Wesleyan call to work for prophetic justice, calls us to follow our Social Principles and respond in appropriate and direct ways to prevent harm to the sojourner.
Jesus teaches us to show special concern for the poor and oppressed who come to our land seeking survival and peace. We call upon United Methodists individually and through general boards and agencies throughout The United Methodist Church to do the following:
* Actively oppose anti-immigrant legislative action and support legislative action that protects the poor and oppressed in their quest for survival and peace;
* Advocate human rights (political, economic and civil) for all people, including the strangers who sojourn in our land;
* Support communities and congregations by prayer and action where anti-immigrant measures may be implemented;
* Continue to work with community organizations to provide forums for citizens to voice concerns, educate one another and confront the problems of racism as obstacles to building community;
* Continue to work with civic and legal organizations to support communities who are now or will be affected by the destructive, deteriorating social issues raised by anti-immigrant measures;
Finally, we call upon United Methodists to practice hospitality and express our commitment to an inclusive church and society through all our ministries in the spirit of our biblical tradition. Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt (Exodus 23:9).
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21040-CS-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference