An LDS View of the Immigration Issue

I just listened to a radio program where immigration was being discussed. The moderators and guest were all LDS and they discussed the issue from an LDS perspective, giving me some new things to think about. They do not claim to be speaking for the Church as a whole, just to be voicing their opinions from a gospel perspective, as they see it. Here are my notes from that program. To hear the whole thing, click on the link at the bottom of the post. I'm going to try to do it in a question/answer type of format, as that will bring out the hot button issues in a way that will be easy to reference, should anyone want to come back to it. My own comments are in italics, not to be confused with the notes from the podcast.

1. What are borders for? When we talk about borders, what are we really saying? We have a border between Utah and Nevada, for what purpose? Is it to make sure that all the Nevadans stay on their side of the line? No, obviously, within our country people are allowed to go from one state to the other without restriction, usually. The reason for borders has to do with the governments and with sovereignty. Those who live within the delineated boundary lines of a state, are living under the laws passed by the government of that state. As long as people are willing to abide by the laws of the different states, they may come and go as they please.

The borders between nations are there for essentially the same reasons as the borders between states. Is there any reason why people shouldn't be able to cross national borders as freely as they cross state borders? What is the purpose in labeling someone as "illegal" when all they have done is cross over an imaginary line? If we as Latter-day Saints believe that our Heavenly Father is the God of this land, and that He is in control of who comes here, as he said that it was preserved for a righteous people, and those who come here who do not serve Him will be swept off, can we not then leave it in His hands to deal with those who come here? This is not to say that we shouldn't have laws that prosecute those who commit crimes. We should and we do, but why should coming here be the crime? One of our big problems is that our penalties for crimes are not sufficient enough to deter those crimes.

2. What about the economics side of the argument? Why should "they" be allowed to come here and steal from those of us who are already here? This point goes a lot deeper than the question appears on the surface. The real question that should be asked is "Do we agree with the system that is in place, that allows them to come and receive something for nothing?" Why is it any worse for them to come and live off the dole in this country, than for anyone else who is already here? The problem here is not that people are sneaking into this country and stealing from us, it is that a very corrupt government has put a system in place that enslaves people, both those of its own country, and now others coming here looking for a better way of life (or at least it would be better, if we'd stop giving them all this "free" stuff) by handing out all the goodies in order to buy their votes. Again, the issue is not the "illegals;" the issue is the people that we have elected to office.

The LDS religion considers the dole to be an evil that should be abolished; so where is the evil here? Is it in those who come here and get on it, or those who offer it for the purpose of enslaving those who come here and get on it?

3. The Constitution guarantees to each state a Republican form of government, and is to help each state guard against invasion. Some people will say that we are being invaded by those who illegally cross the borders. Why are thousands of Mexicans coming into the country considered to be an invasion, any more than thousands of people who might show up in a state for a weekend Amway convention? The only difference is that one group has already been labeled "illegal" before they get here. In the Book or Mormon we read about times when the Lamanites invaded the lands of the Nephites. The invasion was when they attacked them and tried to take away their freedoms. However, there were other peaceful times when they had a free exchange with one another, and it wasn't considered an invasion then. While there are groups who are coming here with evil intent, there are also many who just want to get away from the oppression that they are experiencing in their own country. Those who want to work honestly and just make a living should not be hampered from doing so. If our government stopped handing out money as if it were candy, that would stop the incentive for those who don't really want to work to earn a living. At least those who come here to work in the fields for low pay, are working, which is a lot more than thousands of our own people who sit around collecting welfare checks for doing nothing.

4. What about the numbers? There are millions of them that are coming here. If we start talking numbers, then at some point we need to be concerned about the babies that are born here. There are now nearly 310,000,000 people in the United States. How many do we think it can hold? Do we say we'll shut things down when it reaches 400 million, or 500 million? In terms of numbers, what difference does it make if they walk across the border, or are born here? It still adds to the total population. In the scriptures the Lord tells us that there is enough and to spare. We don't need to worry about using up all of the space. And as far as being a drain on the economy goes, everyone has to eat and has certain needs and wants that require making purchases. With more people come more opportunities for businesses to expand, requiring more people to work, etc. When the government gets out of the way and stops taxing and regulating, making it difficult for businesses to flourish, then the supply and demand even out and society runs well. The drain on society comes when government redistributes the fruits of the labors of the people who work, giving it to those who don't. That is never the way to prosperity, but the path to enslavement, and eventually the demise of the whole system.

5. What about the Church's policy to allow "illegals" to be baptized? Those of us who worry about this are, in essence, putting nationalism above Christian duty. We are saying that my nation, even if it is wrong, is more important than bringing these souls back Home. We, as members of Christ's church, must remember that our whole purpose on this planet, is to help each other get back Home. Period. All the rest is either fluff, or the means to that end. What right have we to judge another's worthiness to be baptized, when the only law they are "breaking" is to walk across a border that maybe shouldn't be there in the first place?

6. Let's make sure we're talking about the real issues when we talk about the immigration problem. If we are worried about all the crime, let's talk about laws that should be prosecuting crime, but don't. If we are talking about millions of people putting a drain on our society and bankrupting the system, let's discuss socialism and how that is not the system this country was meant to function under. When our own people will return to the Christian roots that founded this country, we will put people into the government who truly have our interests in mind, rather than padding their own wallets, and re-election campaigns. The laws will change to favor free enterprise, and will end the redistribution of wealth by government, leaving charity in the hands of individuals and churches, where it was meant to be handled. When those things happen, there won't be an immigration problem.

When I heard the Church leaders say that we needed to show compassion in the immigration issue, I was a bit put out, having a friend who was killed by someone who was here illegally. I now realize that my energy can be better spent working to educate people as to the proper role of government and how to elect good people to office, than standing around whining about the immigration problem. They are not the problem, we are. Let's get our own house in order so we won't be afraid to invite others to come and enjoy what the Lord has so graciously blessed us with.

This discussion is not meant to say that we shouldn't be enforcing our borders. Right now, we do have laws on the books regarding immigration. I believe the point of this discussion is to show that there are other ways of looking at the same issue. Many of the laws on the books of this country are just plain wrong and should be overturned. Those living on the borders, such as those in Arizona, are dealing with a horrendous problem. Tightening up the fences and putting more people with guns down there is certainly one way of dealing with it, but it will continue to be a small bandage on an infected, festering wound until the government changes its policies that encourage criminal behavior. We must demand more from our elected officials.

Listen here: http://ldsliberty.org/?p=294