Western Jurisdiction Bishops
Speak Out on Immigration

May 2006  --  Statement of Christ’s resurrection love from the Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction.

When foreigners reside among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Lev. 19:33-34

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  John 13:34.

The Easter Season comes to us with the fervent gift of love and hospitality. Christ our resurrected Lord has welcomed us to his table, and loved us as his own without exception. Now Christ invites us to walk with him and with each other in the spirit of his love and hospitality.

Over the last few weeks we have seen millions of persons, young and old, walking across the United States in a spirit of love and hospitality for those who are undocumented immigrants among us. Through these expressions of love and hospitality we have been reminded that the great majority of us in this country come from immigrant roots. Some of us can point back to the time our ancestors came to this country in search of new life. Others of us have heard the stories of ancestors who were here when immigrants from other parts of the world began to arrive. Then there are those of us who to this day carry the burden of ancestors who were kidnapped from their native lands and brought to this country under cruel slavery. Immigration has been a constant reality in this country, yet we have not always known how to respond to the immigrant among us in just and caring ways. Our prayer and hope is that as people of Christian faith we may know how to respond with the very love and hospitality of Christ Jesus.

As United Methodists we believe that there are some fundamental ways to live in love and hospitality toward the immigrant among us. First, it is imperative that we declare publicly that we believe that the present immigration policy of the U.S. is “evil and unjust, and that the enforcement thereof results in immediate and insufferable human rights violations, discrimination, and oppression." [i][i]

As United Methodists we have gone on public record to also declare that being an undocumented person is NOT a crime.[ii][ii] We must continue to allow our strong voice to be heard on this matter that affects so many.

Our present U.S. immigration policy affects our immigrant brother who works long and hard hours every day and only asks to be treated justly. It affects the mother who has faithfully served the needs of families in this country, but is separated from her own family who has not been able to immigrate to be with her. It has forever touched the life of the children whose father died in the southern desert of our country attempting only to provide bread for his little ones. It affects our immigrant congregations as they suffer fear and persecution because their faithful members are undocumented. Ultimately our present immigration policy affects all of us as it makes us callous, inhospitable, and unloving to those who live and work among us.

We understand the need of every country to have immigration policies, but such policies must be humane and just. We support the need for secure borders, but security will not be found in oppressing the undocumented immigrant. We affirm the need to care for those who are legal residents and citizens, but not at the sacrifice of others who have also contributed to the economy of this country. As bishops of The United Methodist Church charged with the responsibility to faithfully lead God’s people, we would remind our congregations that we are called to extend the love of Christ Jesus to all, but particularly to those who suffer, are oppressed, and excluded from justice.

We challenge the President of the United States and our Congressional leaders to lead us in comprehensive immigration reform that will bring about justice for the undocumented immigrant among us. And we call upon the congregations under our episcopal and pastoral oversight to care for the undocumented immigrant among us with the very love and hospitality of Christ Jesus.

The College of Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church

Bishop Beverly J. Shamana, President
Bishop Warner H. Brown Jr., Secretary
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson
Bishop Edward W. Paup
Bishop Robert Hoshibata
Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño
Bishop Calvin McConnell
Bishop Wilbur Choy
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert
Bishop Roy I. Sano
Bishop Elias G. Galvan
Bishop Leontine T. C. Kelly
Bishop William W. Dew
Bishop Jack M. Tuell
[i][i] The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004, page 340.         
[ii][ii] Ibid