Senators from both parties came together this summer and passed humane immigration reform, Senate Bill 744. For those of us who favor a practical and fair way of fixing our broken immigration system, this was cause for celebration.
At the head of the celebration should be Georgians. Nearly 1 in 10 Georgians is an immigrant. Immigrants are our neighbors, friends, employees and employers. Our diversity is what makes our state so vibrant. Immigration reform holds out the promise that newcomers will be able to more fully enrich our society and economy.
However, much work lies ahead. We must urge leaders in the House of Representatives to pass bipartisan legislation that mirrors S. 744’s strengths right away — because keeping families together is vital to our congregations and communities.
Why is family unity key here? As CEO of Lutheran Services of Georgia, an organization that provides community-based programs serving native-born and new Americans, I’m reminded of the answers each day.
What comes to mind first is our program for visiting immigrants who have been detained for civil, not criminal, violations. One detainee I know of was the sole provider for his family, which included a young son with autism and cancer. Despite committing no criminal offense, this father was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement one day and sent to a detention center. This detention deprived the vulnerable son of the medical care he needed, and his father’s love. Thankfully, S. 744 includes measures that would give children a better chance of staying with their parents.
Besides preserving family unity, S. 744 can move America forward in three other critical ways. First, it provides a road map by which undocumented people can eventually earn citizenship. Second, it better ensures humane and just enforcement of immigration laws by reducing the use of immigrant detention and expanding community support programs. Third, it creates more efficient and humane processes to protect refugees and other vulnerable migrants.
I know there’s nothing unique about the suffering I’ve seen under the broken immigration system. Nor is there anything unique to Lutherans about supporting immigration reform. In fact, the commitment to seeking reform unites the majority of Americans.
Sometimes, our reasons for supporting immigration reform come from common-sense observations about what’s good for our economy and society; sometimes, the reasons are deeply personal. For me, growing up in New York City, Ellis Island was a constant reminder of the immigrants who had passed through on their way to beginning new lives. It showed that our country has a tradition of welcoming others, and that it is our duty to uphold that tradition.
S. 744’s passage shows our lawmakers are beginning to heed Americans’ call to confront the human suffering in their own communities and congregations. However, the work of securing humane immigration reform is just beginning. Now is the moment for the House to show bipartisan leadership and pass a fair and effective reform bill. Georgians expect no less from our elected officials.
Floyd R. Blair is president/CEO of Lutheran Services of Georgia and is in the ordination process for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
