NOW, we have real border crisis on our hands.

Tens of thousands of illegal aliens, euphemistically known as “undocumented workers” have overrun our southern border—again. Undocumented workers, dreamers, asylum seekers—whatever one party calls them, it’s all just wordplay. It’s not about compassion or freedom or the American Dream. Rhetoric aside, it’s about marketing and a massive electorate infusion—camouflaged in compassion.

The truth is that most of us are here because our ancestors dreamed of a better life in America. Many of us are immigrants. We’re all Americans. I’m the grandson of an immigrant. My grandfather came here legally and jumped through all the hoops to become a citizen. He was a dreamer.

What is an illegal alien? He or she is a person in a temporary state that describes the legality of his or her status in a sovereign nation; it has nothing to with their humanity. It’s about someone doing something illegal—like illegally breaching a border—it’s not about their being less human. The dehumanizing argument the party in power uses is a political construct. It’s designed to vilify those who believe in rule of law, sovereignty and the constitutionality of borders.

Legal, precise and meaningful labels like illegal alien do not strip anyone of their humanity or God-created image. If you disagree and feel that they do, I’m not surprised. For years, we’ve been pelted with politically driven partisan constructs like this one through education, social and other media, Machiavellian politicians and a subjective spirit of the age.

Rule of Law

Is it right for a father to break the law by breaching an enforced border, so he can work to give his children a better life? Good fathers would do virtually anything to improve their kids’ life chances. Should they break the law to do so?

We applaud fatherly love and devotion, but flaunting of the rule of law does not provide a good example for one’s children. A father who respects the rule of law provides an essential character building example for his kids and this example would go much further in improving their life chances than just getting into a country by hook or crook.

As a compassionate and sovereign nation, we should offer this advice to parents seeking to improve their children’s futures: If they can’t find suitable work to provide for their families in their country, they can seek employment in ours, but they must do it lawfully.

Consider this hypothetical:

You live in a southern border town. People who chose to run the gauntlet show up on your porch. They’re tired, thirsty and frightened. What do you do? You give them water—just as I would and just as the neighboring pro-border wall ranchers would and just as border patrol agents would.

Doing the Right Thing

Are you breaking the law? It’s not illegal to give people water. However, if you were maintaining water stations and, by doing so, helping people break the law and attracting more people to break the law, would this be wrong? As a reminder, the people you’re helping hydrate are choosing to break the law. A lack of opportunity in their countries does not justify a decision to break laws. Aren’t we all accountable for our decisions?

Now consider this example:

You live in France in 1943. You’re working and living on a farm. In the dead of night, a family of Jews appears on your doorstep. They’re haggard, cold, tired, hungry, scared out of their minds, and half a day ahead of the Gestapo. Your puppet Vichy government has decreed it unlawful to help fleeing Jews. What do you do? You do just what I hope I would do—you give them food, water and shelter and a hiding place.

Or do you give in to fear and close the door? Why put your life in danger? You do so because your government’s law violates God’s laws. You help them out of love, compassion and obedience to Almighty God and in defiance of your weakling government that’s doing the will of its evil client regime.

Big Differences

Let’s review some key differences in these scenarios:

A) One describes a violation of God’s laws.
B) One includes people forced to flee and break the law. They have no choice. They’re not looking for work, they’re looking to stay alive.
C) The American government is not a puppet Vichy government enforcing evil immigration laws.

Speaking of governments, does enforcing federal law depend on compassion and empathy? Do you think Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi know real hardship? Just because they seem to care about people doesn’t mean they can empathize with them. In the case of illegal immigration, is their flaunting of federal law powered by real compassion and or an opportunity to create hordes of new voters?

Meanwhile, they vilify opponents, slander them and insult our intelligence by telling us they’re the only ones who care because they’re willing to ignore federal law in order to help people break our laws.

God and Borders

To those who think sovereign nations have no business securing their borders and like to say that God is on their side; here are a few questions to ponder and a counter argument to consider:

What if God recognizes nations and their sovereignty and rule of law regarding immigration? After all, the concepts of national sovereignty and natural-born citizenship originated from God regarding his people. If this is true, there’s a sanctity to the rule of law. And if all legitimate laws come from God and are instituted by him, as Paul says in Romans 13, all are called to obey the laws of the land—unless they conflict with God’s laws.

Whether or not you accept these as truths, here’s my challenge: Convince me that our federal immigration laws conflict with God’s, and I’ll storm the Bastille with you. I’ll resist any law that prohibits people from entering our country. Let’s put rubber to road: Where does God stand on refugees and widows and orphans fleeing intolerable living conditions?

I think we can agree that he stands above and beyond petty politics and weaponized partisan constructs. That said, God wants us to extend help and compassion toward refugees, travelers and the poor and widows. God is right there with us in our compassion and love toward others. He also wants us to obey laws and those in authority over us—unless either or both breaks his laws.

It’s my view that the party in power is doing just that, but that our federal immigration laws are right and proper and consistent with good governance and policy. If those in the party in power disagree, they should change them through legislation, not ignore them. That’s what banana republics do.

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