Ret. Pastor Elwood Rieke, Fargo

While immigration reform is a political issue, it is so much more than “just” a political issue. It is one of the gravest moral issues of our time! The nearly 11.1 million people who are living undocumented in the United States are truly among the “least of these.” Often compelled by famine, political oppression, or extreme economic hardship, they have had to migrate or die. Often exploited and driven to work in dangerous conditions just to make enough money for their family to survive, these brothers and sisters of ours are suffering right under our noses.

In Matthew, 25:40 the Lord says, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ As people of faith, entrusted with caring for one another as we have received care, opportunity, and compassion, we call on people of faith throughout North Dakota to urge Sen. John Hoeven and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp to vote for amendments that protect vulnerable immigrant people and families and to pass comprehensive, just, and sensible immigration reform now. Until the extreme brokenness of the current system is changed, this injustice and national lapse in upholding our moral code falls on the shoulders of us all.