Christians should oppose ICE

I felt compelled to write in response to Bryon York's column today. He identifies people opposed to the presence of ICE on our streets as being political, hoping to strengthen the Democratic base, antiracist — as if the profiling of brown Spanish-speaking folks could be anything but — or emotional. He left out a very large group that I am part of.....Christians. Christians who see in their immigrant neighbors people who have fled oppression, hunger, poverty and violence in their home countries to find a better life here. The very people that Jesus asked us to care for in Matthew 25. In the same chapter, he promises judgment on both Individuals and NATIONS who ignore this command.

I have heard the argument that everyone should “use the process” to come to the U.S. legally, without acknowledging that to be granted asylum you need to be in the U.S., have means to survive the very lengthy process when you are barred from working legally, and have the money for the annual filing fee while the application is pending. Of course, if you are a white, wealthy South African you can get a Visa in the humanitarian parole program. There are also apparently Visas for sale for $1,000,000, not what your average South American refugee has.

I don't believe we should have open borders, but there was an immigration bill, voted down by Republicans at the behest of Trump, that was reasonable and humane, and at one time had bipartisan support. Let’s work for that instead of declaring war on people who disagree. We in Illinois don't want or need military occupation to impose anti-Christian values on our cities.

Jacque Eads

Elgin