Confused in the Heartland

Here is an Op-ed I wrote, which appeared today in Oklahoma City's newspaper, "The Oklahoman."  I thought it might be of interest.

"My fellow Oklahomans, I am confused. I thought this was a “red state” - a place where families, hard work, and courage are valued. I thought Oklahoman’s understood that our rights and duties emanate from God. But, then I read State Senate Bill 1769 and House Bill 3119, which call for the state to use its resources to hunt down hard working people trying to provide for their families.

These bills require state and local government employees to verify the immigration and citizenship status of every person they come in contact with. These employees must report the names of those who cannot verify their status to federal immigration authorities. Failure to do so is a crime. And, those who cannot “produce proof of U.S. citizenship or valid documents or a visa” are to be jailed.

The authors of the legislation suggest that “illegal immigration is causing … lawlessness.” But, most undocumented non-citizens are “lawless” only in the sense that they are evading the broken federal immigration system. They are lawless in the way that Jean Valjean was lawless in Les Misérables, stealing bread to feed his family.

Our federal immigration system needs repair. It currently leads to the creation of a shadow population living in fear and subject to exploitation. They cannot fully develop their talents to be used for the benefit of family and community, their only crime – risking life and what little money they have to be able to provide for family. As a nation, we need to find a way to stop undocumented migration.

As Oklahomans, how do we respond? Do we respond like Inspector Javert who spent his whole life – his resources and creative energy – in pursuit of the bread thief Jean Valjean? Or, do we respond with mercy the way the Bishop did when Valjean was first released from prison. Will we play the part of the sheep or goats as depicted in Matthew’s rendering of the last judgment? Will we welcome the stranger as we listen to the words of Christ: “whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me”? Javert’s quest destroyed him. He couldn’t live in a world of mercy and love. And, we know what happened to the goats!

If we truly believe that Biblical values provide the foundation for our public policy, if we reject the strict separationist arguments so frequently heard in some quarters, then we must live those values consistently. In Leviticus, God says, “when an alien resides among you in your land, do not molest him,” remembering that you once were aliens. In the New Testament, Jesus’ followers are instructed to love their neighbor as themselves.

Fortunately, the Senate sponsor of HB3119 has withdrawn it, realizing it is too harsh. Unfortunately, the bills’ proponents continue, like Javert, on their mission to hunt down the Jean Valjean’s of modern day Oklahoma. Let us together work to fix our broken federal immigration law, but let us do it with a deep seated love for our undocumented neighbors."