God's Immigration Policy

You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. [Exodus 22.21]

You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. [Exodus 23.9]

“I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run. I will send terror ahead of you to drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply and threaten you. I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to take possession of the land. And I will fix your boundaries from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the eastern wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people now living in the land, and you will drive them out ahead of you. “Make no treaties with them or their gods. They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me. If you serve their gods, you will be caught in the trap of idolatry.” [Exodus 23.27-33]

What might we learn here regarding God's immigration policy?

First and foremost, God made it clear (repeated Himself) concerning the fair treatment of foreigners. There is no doubt that God requires that all humans be treated fairly and equitably.

However, God is also very clear regarding foreigners' gods. God said to make no agreements with them whatsoever and furthermore to disallow them from occupying the same land.

So, what is God's immigration policy? He desires that His people exist with others in the same relationship with Almighty God that they have! There is no indication that God required His people to give foreigners everything they had or allow themselves to be pillaged by foreigners, but they were instructed not to mistreat or oppress them. There is a difference.

In other words, God wants His people to treat foreigners fairly, but not be stupid about it. It starts getting stupid when foreigners are allowed take undue advantage of and bring and impose their gods and customs upon God's people. 

The USA has sadly become a classic example of getting this wrong. In the recent and erroneous spirit of "diversity and inclusion" the USA has embraced every culture except its own (a nation founded upon Christian conviction).

Father, I love the USA. Please forgive us as a nation for embracing that which You specifically warned against. Help us to escape this trap of idolatry.