What should preachers say during this disorienting time about immigration and immigrants (broadly understood) in the United States?  When I hear preachers speak on immigration or briefly mention the topic in their sermons/homilies, I pay attention to see how well-versed they are in immigration history and issues.  The theme of immigration is very complex, so it is common for people to be unaware of its nuances. One approach I recommend to address this is to delve into the field and read up on it.  The history of immigration is complicated, with many moving parts, and amidst the deluge of rhetoric flying about on social media and cable news, it is difficult to discern both the reality of “what is” and “that which is said to be” about immigration and migrants.

In preparing for this reality, I want to introduce you to three social or cultural historical resources that might help to navigate the tension between what is” and “that which is said to be” about immigration and migrants.  The first is titled Operation Gatekeeper and Beyond: The War on “Illegals” and the Remaking of the U.S.-Mexico Boundary by Joseph Nevins (2002). In this volume, Nevins does a superb job discussing the different immigration strategies put forward by various political leaders over the years. We move from a strategy that focuses on deportation, that is, the immediate deportation of those crossing the border without proper documentation, to one of deterrence, making it very difficult for “people on the move” to enter the United States, to one of detention, that is, if caught we will detain you and even separate you from your family.  Understanding the different immigration-political strategies helps us to understand the effects and significance of creating barriers to entering the United States. The volume also touches on the criminalization and dehumanization of immigrants and its effect on how we see and treat them. For a social-science reading, this is one of the rare volumes that touches on the ethics of hospitality and representation.

Another very insightful volume is entitled Border Walls: Security and the War on Terror in the United States, India, and Israel by Reece Jones (2012).  What most people in the congregations do not know is why and how barriers or “walls” between borders emerged. Barriers have been around for many years, from the Great Wall of China over 2,500 years, to Hadrian’s Wall begun in 122 CE, to “walls” initiated by Israel in 2000, India in 2002, and the United States in 2006, among others. If one were to count the new barriers since 2000, one would find around 25 cases of some barrier preventing the movement of people. Whether one agrees or not with these barriers by various countries, the question to ask is what the purpose of these walls is and how do they impact the representation of those on the other side (e.g., Lebanon, Bangladesh, Mexico).

As the “border” becomes hardened, the Other on the other side is perceived as threatening, as reflected by many in the United States today when their primary source on “walls” is cable news.  By understanding the history of barriers, one can better navigate the preaching of immigration from the pulpit.

A third book that would be beneficial is titled The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America by Greg Grandin (2019). This excellent volume delves into the narrative of exceptionalism that runs through many stories and perspectives of the United States, from slavery to the newly arrived people on the move. The volume challenges Frederick Turner’s “Frontier Thesis” that argues that the expansion across the land “frontier” created an understanding of equality for all. However, as we know, this was not true for indigenous peoples, African slaves, and those considered outsiders, as  evidenced by the fear-inducing rhetoric of political leaders. This rhetoric is less about building “the wall” and more using the idea of building to instill fear.

These three volumes can help preachers navigate the topic of immigration within their respective congregations. Peaching in times of conflict should not be avoided but rather should serve as beacon of hope, healing, and education for both ourselves and for our congregations. By harnessing the power of the pulpit with knowledge, preachers can inspire their congregations to educate themselves and understand the challenges of conflict with courage, compassion, and faith, ultimately leading the way to a more peaceful and just world.

Published in the May 2024 issue of For the Messengers

Francisco Lozada, Jr. is Vice President of Faculty Affairs and Dean of the Faculty and Professor of New Testament Studies at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. Previously, he held the Charles Fischer Catholic Professorship of New Testament and Latinx Studies at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas, where he also directed the Borderlands Institute. His most recent co-edited book, with Fernando F. Segovia, was published in 2021: Latino/a Theology and the Bible: Ethnic-Racial Reflections on Interpretation, co-edited with Fernando Segovia