You Shall Not...

For John, BLUF:  Remember that once your family were aliens here in Lowell.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

This is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time and today's First Reading is from Exodus 22:20-26

Thus says the LORD:
"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.
If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry.
My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;
then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.

"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,
you shall not act like an extortioner toward him
by demanding interest from him.
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,
you shall return it to him before sunset;
for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.
What else has he to sleep in?
If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."

"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt."

How does that speak to us, today?

The molesting part seems strait forward.  I take it to be in terms of abusing them in some way.  They should be safe in mind and body.  That makes good sense to me.

But, what about oppressing an alien?  I think that means no sweat shops.  No taking advantage of aliens in the economic arena.  No gray [or black] economy where they are hidden and exploited.

I don't think it means that we can't ship them back to from whence they came.  I think that means we can't abuse them in the process.  It must be fair and legal.  But, if they are here, and not here seeking legitimate refugee status, then helping them to return home makes sense.

In sum, illegal aliens are to be treated as human beings, and awarded all Constitutional guarantees while here, but may be returned home, unless we see that they have a legitimate refugee status.

I would add that illegal immigrants should not be favored over those who came here in a legal manner.  The legal immigrant followed the rules, pays his or her taxes, pays the fees, and maybe even their lawyer, and this should not be disrespected by favoring illegal immigrants in terms of citizenship.

Regards  —  Cliff