New Detention Center for Illegal Immigrant Families

[Jonda Lehrmann]

     The influx of illegal immigrants crossing our U.S. border has led the White House to decide to make deportation of these law breakers quicker.  A new detention center will be opened in Artesia, New Mexico for families that come across the border illegally.  It will be a safe and clean place to house families while the deportation takes place.  This is one of several that Homeland Security is considering for illegal immigrants with children that cross the border in the Southwest United States.  There is also a recent surge of Central American children immigrating alone illegally to the United States. 

     Though some law makers applaud the administration for taking steps to address this influx of undocumented families and unaccompanied children other law makers oppose this move.  Some think the children should not be held in a “prison” type facility and others think this plan is “nothing but smoke and mirrors” because many illegal immigrants can manipulate the law to find ways to remain in our country.  The U.S. law requires that children traveling by themselves and entering the country illegally must be turned over to the Department of Health and Human Services.  This agency tries to find family or friends inside our borders for the children to stay with until their deportation cases are finalized.  Around 52,000 children traveling by themselves have been picked up since last October.

• The article on illegal immigrants relates to our text book chapter 17 pages 524 - 526 on the “Immigration Policy”.  “U.S. immigration policy, the collection of laws that specify which people the government will authorize to immigrate to the United States, allows approximately 1 million immigrants, in four categories, to immigrate legally each year.”  “In addition to the legal newcomers, about 500,000 unauthorized immigrants come into the United States annually.”
• I chose this article because living in Texas we have more of an awareness of this issue because we have a border in common with Mexico. 
• I would address this problem the same way our government is handling it, and that is to deport the illegal immigrants.  I understand they want a better life for themselves and for their families. However, they need to follow the law and do it legally.  Romans 13:1-7 talks about “governing authorities” and how we must follow and obey the laws.  If we do something illegally then we should expect punishment for our wrong choice.  We are servants to God and we should obey his commands.

[Sandra Billups]

I’m astonished that there are lawmakers opposed to the treatment the children receive in the immigration shelters. I was in Lawton, OK a couple of weeks ago where the Fort Sill Army Base was gearing up to receive 600 additional children. That would take their shelter to capacity. While there, the children will receive medical and dental care as well as food and shelter. 

This morning NBC 5 news reported there has been a more than 700% increase in juvenile illegal immigrants. Although they remain in the shelters for roughly one month, it takes several months and sometimes years to actually complete the deportation process, thereby fulfilling their desire to remain here if only for a little while. I doubt the children are being treated inhumanely while in the immigration shelters, however, I am concerned about the future of the U.S. economy and the status of our own children. I wonder how we can field the unexpected financial burden of taking care of unauthorized immigrants when so many of the children of our authorized citizens have inadequate healthcare and no food to eat or place to live. 

I believe lawmakers are doing the right thing by providing the best care possible to the undocumented children. I would do the same. In addition, I would attempt to send education and services to the immigrants’ native countries in an effort to increase opportunities within their borders. Because I know God, I know that it is important to take care of the poor and needy both within and without our borders. Perhaps the illegal immigrants are unaware of the burdens the states incur on their behalf. Perhaps they were not taught Proverbs 23:10, which says, “Do not move the ancient boundary, or go into the field of the fatherless” (NASB).