Not Welcoming the Foreigner

Last summer I posted an article on social media about the Blekic family that was going to be deported with an update that the deportation occurred.  I did so because I identified a lot with Medina, one of the children.  I wrote: "This girl is from my hometown.  I was in the JROTC like she was...  Yet she can't be an American like me.  She was deported today."

I also posted it because people will have a better understanding of the issues when names and faces are attached to them.  You can read the article by clicking here.

What I didn't realize until then was how polarizing my post would be.  While the majority of people gave sympathetic thoughts, there were a few that alleged I was anti-American for sharing the article, and that I was encouraging opposition to government policies.  I ended up losing a few Facebook friends over it.  So I want to take the opportunity to respond to all of it here.

First of all, I am a proud American.  I love the United States.  I believe that our country's safety requires defense and protection.  I am also a Christian, and therefore am challenged to look at the world through the eyes of Jesus Christ.  I believe this wider perspective is good for our nation.

Secondly, I realize that individuals of good faith can come to different conclusions on civil matters.  The problem is that not everyone thinks this.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church doesn't offer much specifically on immigration or deportation, but it does say this:  "The more prosperous nations are obliged...to welcome the foreigner in search for security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country or origin" (paragraph 2241).

I really thought that Medina's story seemed to apply to this teaching.  Her family is from war torn Bosnia and came to the USA in 2008 requesting asylum.  In 2014, their request for asylum was denied and were eventually told that they would be deported once Medina finished high school.  No reason was given (at least that was reported in the article) and they couldn't understand why since they had four extended family members that had already become US citizens.

While living in Florida, Medina's parents had good jobs.  She sang the national anthem at sporting events and wanted to become physician in the Navy.  They seemed like good Americans to me, except they aren't allowed to become Americans because they were born in Bosnia.

It's worth saying that the people that hassled me over the article were all US citizens by birth and their families have lived in the USA for several generations.  They will probably never have to personally deal with deportation or immigration.  They have the privilege of being on the easy side of the argument.  If they didn't have such a privilege, I bet their position would be different.

Viewing the world through the eyes of Jesus is my privilege.  I wish more people could do it.