Cool your jets Cutter... This is one issue where I am only slightly liberal on.. ALL other issues I am as much a right wing fanatic as you..
Here is where I am coming from..
I have had leaders in churches in my area that have told me to my face that they will welcome with loving arms Hispanics that have the proper documents into their church... (talking about visiting.. not membership)...
But NO illegal is welcome to even come visit...
Now, I don't know about you, but when they told me that, I got mad.
For Jesus didn't say, go into all the world, and minister to only the citizens of the USA..
The following is the ending of an article I wrote for our Convention's newsletter (WV Baptist Magazine page 4)
http://wvbc.ab.edu/WV Baptist/My Webs/Archives Revised/FEBRUARY-MARCH 2010.pdf
I agree with my conservative friends.. we need to do something in order to protect our borders, or we will be facing the same fate the Native Americans faced when we stole their land.. .
Get to know some in the Hispanic community.. HELP them become legal!...
There are agencies out there that will help them. Many WANT to become legal. I know a couple that are going through citizenship classes.. the lady has already became a citizen, and the man, is working on his. These are 2 of the finest people I know, they came to America to avoid starvation, and while here met Jesus through our Hispanic ministries, and now are cleaning up their lives. I praise God they got to stay in America long enough for us to witness to them... because of this, they are now eternal family!.... (forgot to mention, they are a working family, and really contribute to the community.. Not all Hispanics are the way some on here are painting them with THEIR sweeping generalizations)
Some here, I am afraid, would have reported them to the feds before getting to know them and witnessing to them. If that would have happened, they could have been lost forever.
Also, some are considered Illegal although they came here legally, but their cards expired... BTW, when does your driver's license expire? Do you know without looking? Yeah, I bet most that just read that have to look to see. And it is that way with some that are considered "illegal".. they forgot to renew their documentation..
You see, it is way to simple to just shout, "Send em back"..
There are a lot of different variables...
Here is my solution...
Reinforce the borders..
Crack down on employers that are breaking the law by hiring them...
If a person is here illegally, decide case by case what to do.. If they are criminals, by all means ship em back.
BUT if they are hard working people, and are not breaking any other laws, then HELP them become citizens.... WE NEED MORE hard working people!.. .
If this is a form of Amnesty for some, so be it.
As for that, I would favor a 6 month amnesty period for All illegals to come forward to start their paper work.. After the 6 month period is up, and someone is found, then ship em back...