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When an alien resides uth you in your land, do not molest him You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you, have the same love for him as for yourself; for you too were once aliens ut the land of Egypt (Lv. 19:33-34)
Immigration reform has become a major political concern in this election year. Democrats ostensibly vie with Republicans on who is better at keeping immigrants out. The national debate about immigration seems to be mostly limited to the impacts of proposed legislation on families, refugees, immigrant eligibility for benefits, and the national verification system. Undoubtedly, the punitive provisions of the pending immigration legislation, which contains the most extreme and restrictive proposals in over 70 years, must be addressed and corrected. Above all, the voiceless and most vulnerable immigrants must be heard - persons in "illegal" status in this country, those whose presence "is directly related to our willingness to use and dispose of the labors of these people how, when, and where it suits us." However, any national attempt to reform our immigration laws must be based on the real world.
Thus, for example, it's not time to crack down on illegal...