Immigration: Where Conservatism Diverges from Biblical Compassion

For the past few weeks, conservatives have been questioning Rick Perry's conservative credentials. Why? Because the Texas legislature approved a bill allowing children of illegals to go to college in Texas paying in-state tuition rates.

Conservative leaders say that the children of illegal aliens should pay out-of-state tuition rates because the children are here illegally. However, Rick Perry agreed with his legislature and signed the bill. That's what created the fire storm.

Some people are saying that because of this vote, Rick Perry is not a real conservative. They have begun to defect to Herman Cain and others in the presidential race.

But Texas was right and conservatives wrong on this issue.

Here's why, and why it's important.

First of all, it's important to remember that political philosophies do not arise out of a void. I have said on many occasions that conservatism, generally speaking, is the political expression of Christian ideas. It is a product of the Reformation in Europe and the American experiment in liberty which anchored itself upon the rock of a biblical worldview.

America's founders were either Christians or God-fearing people. The Great Awakening, where 50,000 out of 250,000 American colonists gave their lives to Christ during the 1730s and 40s, produced a Christian philosophy of government. This philosophy insisted that people's rights are God-given, and that we should look to the wisdom of the Scriptures to build a safe and just society.

In other words, because America's founders believed in the God of the Bible, they thought it only right to look to Him for wisdom in social, economic, and foreign policy matters. The most quoted book during the Constitutional debates was the book of Deuteronomy which gives detailed guidance on how to order the civil affairs of a nation. America was not to become a theocracy--but a faith-based republic.

American conservatism was simply a political expression of biblical ideas.

But the application of those principles in our nation have never been perfect for two reasons. First, people of faith--who look to God and the Scriptures as their reference point--can have different opinions on how to apply their faith to the practical issues of the day. All of us are fallen and tend to "see in part." We also make mistakes because "we do not know the Scriptures or the power of God" (Mark 12;24).

This can happen over issues big and small. The issue of slavery was debated on a biblical foundation for decades. The South used the Bible to back up its position and the North did the same. That one was decided by a costly Civil War where the biblical reasoning of the North triumphed over the misguided applications of the South.

People who believe in the Bible can be wrong.

Secondly, it's very important for political philosophies to remember their roots ansd stay anchored to them. Conservatism is based in spiritual renewal and Biblical concepts. When it forgets its "source" of authority or its history, it can meander off in dangerous directions.

I believe both of these problems are a part of the present immigration debate. First of all, it's okay for conservatives to hold varying positions. Immigration is a nuanced issue that can be argued from a number of angles. But secondly, like the issue of slavery, we need to hone our biblical understanding of how God views the "foreigners" among us.

From a biblical perspective, this is an issue of both justice and compassion. Sometimes conservatives forget the merciful side.

I serve on a national board of Christian leaders who agree with Rick Perry and the Texas legislature on the subject of the children of illegal immigrants. Our group is at odds with many conservatives on this subject. We do not believe in open borders or sanctuary cities. That's going too far. But we believe that the Bible, and thus conservative principles, teach two important concepts:

1. That God has special concerns and compassion for the "strangers" or foreigners among us. Israel learned this lesson by being aliens in Egypt who became oppressed by the Egyptians. After their slavery in Egypt, God reminded the Jews to always remember their own history and be merciful to foreigners.  This theme is carried over in the New Testament where God's great mercy is showered down upon the world through the coming of Jesus Christ.

2. Children are not responsible for the sins of their fathers. Ezekiel 18:20 clearly states that "The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son." This concept of individual responsibility--normally understand by most conservatives--is at the heart of the Texas immigration controversy. And the Bible is very clear on the subject.

Kids should not suffer for the sins of their parents.

The Texas legislature took this into account with their immigration statute. They reasoned that the children of illegals were not in any way responsible for their parents bringing them into this nation illegally. Because they weren't responsible,  they shouldn't be punished for it. They specified that the kids needed to have been here for three years and put themselves on a path to citizenship. If they met those requirements, then there was no just or compassionate reason to refuse them in-state tuition costs.

The Texas legislators were so united on this subject, that they voted for the bill almost unanimously--only four voted against it. Governor Rick Perry agreed with the wisdom of their approach and signed the legislation.

Rick Perry and the Texas legislators were right. This issue was not about securing the border or being tough on illegal immigration. It was about being just to the children of foreigners in their state and being compassionate about their unique circumstances.

The God of history is both just and compassionate. We should strive to be the same.

It's true that Governor Perry handled the debate question on immigration poorly. He shouldn't have said if you don't agree with Texas you don't have a heart. People can have a "heart" on immigration, or for that matter poverty or AIDS etc. and have different public policy positions.

But on substance and principle, Texans made the right decision. And it was a truly conservative policy--based on the wise teachings of the Scriptures. True conservatives should applaud their wisdom, not diss them as non-purists. This is where conservatism can diverge from its source--by forgetting that its principles are rooted in biblical truths.

A conservative without a Bible is like a car without an engine. It won't go anywhere.

There is also a pragmatic side to this issue. What would have happened if the Texas legislator had penalized the children of illegals who live in their state? What if they had demanded that these kids pay out-of-state rates for going to a public university?

Then many of these young people would have been unable to go to college and might have joined gangs or simply gone onto welfare. The cost of a wrong decision would have been detrimental to the tax-payers of the great state of Texas.

I am not tooting Rick Perry's horn by agreeing on this legislation. I believe he was wrong on the forced-vaccination executive order and he didn't bring his "A game" to the Republican presidential debates.

But he was a true conservative on this particular issue. He was just as well as merciful as God would want all of us to be to our fellow human beings.

He was also smart when it comes to the 2012 presidential race. The Hispanic vote will be be critical to the success of the Republican candidate. This is why Cuban-born Marco Rubio of Florida is being mentioned as a possible VP candidate for the eventual nominee.

Getting immigration right--or should we say righteous--is a huge ticket to success in the 21st century. Here's my advice for fellow conservatives and people of all political philosophies:

Don't diverge from biblical compassion. You will do so at your own peril.