Richard Hollerman

We know that this is a term that has been commonly used for some time now and I suppose that we all know what it means. An immigrant is “a person who migrates to another country,” “usually for permanent residence” (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary”). And obviously, the “illegal resident” is one who done the former in an illegal way. Thus, the person is unlawfully in the country.

Some lands and some countries have been more open to this procedure of leaving one country to go to another. In the past, millions of men, women, and children have entered the United States (and other nations) and settled here and this has been going on for centuries. Further, we know that the early settlers from Europe have come to seek asylum, to seek better living conditions, to find jobs and to obtain land, and this has happened many times. In fact, America has been known worldwide as a “land of opportunity” to which many people have come.

Of course, we know that no one was in America at first for it was deserted or empty of inhabitants 4,000 years ago. Then came the tribes or what has been called “Indians” (a misnomer, for at first it was thought that these people were from India). At one time, there were millions of people living in North, Central, South America, and the islands of the Caribbean. Then, the “white man” arrived in the latter 1500s and the 1600s. Those who settled in North America were chiefly from Great Britain, then Scotland, and also Germany, and then Irish, and later the Italians, and others.

Blacks (or “African-Americans”) arrived in the 1600s and especially by 1800. We discover that by the Civil War in America (1861-1865), the country had perhaps five million of these misplaced “blacks.” While provision was made for willing “slaves” to return to Africa, most chose to stay in America, especially those dwelling in the South.

However, we know that immigration (while a part of American history and culture) has been plagued with multiple problems. Other countries have found the same “problem” and today there is great upheaval among the native populations. In the United Sates, some of the immigration has been “illegal” or against established law. And some has been legal.

Since President Biden has been in control, we know that for 2 ½ years, many of the immigrants have been in America for monetary reasons, to escape dictatorial regimes, and to find liberty and freedom from oppression. In fact, for this latter period of time now, many of these immigrants have come illegally. (And, of course, we know that President Biden was elected by a small majority but for some time now, he has not received nearly as much approbation from most people yet ye continues on, much to the chagrin of millions of Americans.) We could same for the vice-president, Kamila Harris, and wicked and belligerent woman, a feministic woman. In fact, sadly, we know that nearly the whole Democratic party is feministic in perspective.

So these immigrants entered the country without proper documentation. Whether we are speaking about a wicked president such as Biden, former ones such as Trump, or Obama, or others, we know that God knows about the present situation.

We are referring to people from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, Columbia, and elsewhere. This would include the Middle East and others who have entered the nation by breaking the Law. We think of people from these lands. El Salvador (and I just spoke with a man a couple days ago who had married a Salvadorian. My wife, a teacher had a mentor who was from this fair land. However, we know that this is the most crime-ridden place in the Western Hemisphere. We also know of people who came from Venezuela, a very Communist and needy nation.

And, of course, there have been millions of illegal immigrants from Mexico. We know that “Fentanyl” (for instance), an illegal and fatal drug, manufactured in China, has been responsible for 120,000 deaths a year. The Cartels, who have been so responsible, are not only breaking the law, but responsible for this murder and mayhem, though they receive millions of dollars in the process (perhaps even billions of dollars). We know that it would take many years for these criminals to repay this illegal “traffic” at the North and South borders of America.

As we understand the situation, there are now 10 or 20 or even 30 million “illegal” immigrants in America. How can these people ever repay what they have “stolen” (Ephesians 4:28) or make reparations for their illegal entrance and activity? Thus, we know that millions upon millions of “illegals” are in the United States. Millions, of course, have arrived illegally and through the waters (North, South and even the Oceans), thus they have been called pejoratively “wet backs” (since they have gotten “wet” by coming through the rivers to come to the United States).  There have now been many millions of these “illegals” who have arrived illegally over the years. (We want to emphasize illegal here since these people have been illegal, they have entered illegally, and the know that they are illegal.)

We are living in unprecedented times. We are living in strange. evil,  and wicked times! Thus, we know that the country of America and even the whole world is upside-down and confused. Illegal immigrants have entered countries from other nations for many years. Whether we are speaking of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, the Sudan, Congo, Mexico, Haiti, Venezuela, or a hundred other countries, they have entered another country illegally and now find themselves in this “host” country. Yes, numerous of them have arrived illegally (on boats, through walking, and in many other ways.) But they have not only arrived (illegally or unlawfully), and come to find economic advantages, “freedom” from oppression, and other causes but are now in America, the “host country” and what can “the land of freedom” do at this point?

America has been the same. While the early settlers in the beginning came to the Western Hemisphere these people must have come from China, Mongolia, and elsewhere, we know that these millions have arrived and are now settled in a new homeland. This country of America has been called a “melting pot” and people from around the world have settled here for several thousands of years. The “Statue of Liberty” (donated to the United States years ago from France) does show that the nation has been called a “beacon light” to the rest of the world. It has been the home of many different peoples. But we must ask, if these people have broken the law in coming to this “land of plenty” through no contribution of their own, just what are we to think of all of this mess?

Of course, we know that recently some millions of people have come illegally. And some of these have advantage of the “welcome” policy. Even if only five or six million have recently arrived, they had to go somewhere. If these six million were to come and settle with only five persons for each immigrant (a total of 30), this would be some 36 million people (six million times five million people, plus 5 million, for a total of 36 million people). Can a country the size of the United States accommodate such a huge number?

We know that many of them come to larger cities (New York, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Saint Louis, etc.) and such places as San Antonio, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, etc. But even with these large metropolises, can they accommodate six million immigrants? And if many of the people already here were to number 30 or 36 million, we know that this huge number were to drain the system.

We are all aware of the Biblical instruction such as that found at Romans 13:1ff) that those who violate the Law are breaking the Lord’s instructions. They deserve to be slain themselves. See also Matthew 22:21. We wonder whether these law-breakers don’t know about these and like passages—or don’t care.

Further, if millions of these dear people should ever want to repent and get right with God and others, what should they do? We think that six million of them can’t easily be sent back to their homelands. And if we were to include the 30 to 36 million already here, where would they go? Further, the criminals (cartels) who have brought them to these lands should ever repent and want to get right with God, how can they afford to pay the hundreds of millions (billions?) necessarily? And where could these poor immigrants find this kind of finance to repay such a huge number?

Presumably, they would pay this to the United States government, the state governments, the local governments, and to other entities. But not does it seem impossible, if it takes $1,000 or $10,000 for these immigrants to pay millions (or billions) to someone, how can this be done? Let’s remember that these are poor people, and they have paid their hard-earned money to these criminals (the cartels).

How are they to pay the proper authorities to rectify the situation? Whether we were to refer to Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti or other places, we think that this might really be hard—very hard. Of course, it would need to be done, but it still would be difficult. Further, we know that we must ask how could these illegal immigrants who themselves have come through difficult circumstances, just how could all of this work out? If they have escaped bad circumstances, and now must pay $50,000 each, how could this be done? We know that millions of people (from many countries) have already come in the past centuries, and we know that it is virtually impossible for everyone to pay what they owe!

We must observe that it is much easier to avoid sin than to rectify it, once it has been committed. If we were to go back 5 years or 50 years or 300 years, how we could have avoided all of the problems that have arisen. But we can’t. And what we can do now is not at all pleasant or easy!

(Think of the greedy whites who enslaved the African “slaves” through the wicked slave-traders and then sold them into American bondage! (See 1 Timothy 1:10.) Yes, a mere five percent came to North America, but still it was wrong. We know that there could be a reply: “These people were in centuries of pagan superstition, but then came to America where they gained their deliverance after so many years.” But we must remember the Biblical principle, that we must never do wrong to do right. (See Romans 3:8). We must never enslave people even if the outcome were to be better than these benighted people knew before!

As Christians, let us do what we can and commit ourselves and the situation to Him. Let us seek His will and do what we can do solve the present problem and those problems that have resulted. May God help us.