With the immigration debate raging without a plain end in sight in Congress, one aspect of the argument is reaching a growing consensus on both sides of the political aisle – the need to protect young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as minors, known as ‘Dreamers’, from the threat of possible deportation.
Many of the Republicans supporting the Dreamers are evangelical Christians, a demographic that makes up 25 percent of Americans, and they have a major influence in the Republican Party. Over the last five years, they have become increasingly vocal on the issue. Last year, President Donald Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program initiated by an executive action by then President Barack Obama in 2012 but allowed Congress six months to find a solution to the problem.
The six months will end on 5 March and Congress is still struggling to reach an agreement. Eric Teetsel, the president of the religious advocacy organization, the Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, says that evangelical Christians have been forced to reflect on the immigration issue and how their view of it should be informed by the biblical worldview.
Russell Moore, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission president, concurs, adding that many Dreamers are a part of the congregation at evangelical churches. But, although Dreamers may be embraced by Christian conservatives, this does not necessarily mean they will support broader immigration law reforms to favor other undocumented immigrants.