United States’ Vice President Mike Pence visited Guatemala City and, serving as an ambassador for President Donald Trump, told Central America Presidents that they must respect America’s borders and stop their citizens from coming to the United States. Speaking about the cruel anti-immigration policy — which includes separation of children from their parents — Pence said the U.S. was working to reunite families “from your nations who’ve been caught trying to illegally enter the United States — because we believe that we can, as the old book says, “do justice and love kindness”, Patheos reports.
Pence's visit and his meeting with Presidents Ceren of El Salvador, Morales of Guatemala and Hernandez of Honduras, comes shortly after Trump administration took drastic steps to prevent the flow of illegal immigration from Central America. A “zero tolerance” policy was implemented which includes charging everyone who attempts to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. As a result, thousands of migrant children, some under a year old, were separated from their parents or legal guardians at the border and housed in detention centers.
Trump signed an executive order last month reversing the policy, allowing families to be detained together instead. But it didn't stop the detention of children. It doesn’t sound like justice is done to those children. The majority of immigrants are not criminals and they pose virtually no threat at all to the safety of Americans, and yet they are all held in detention, first separated and now together with their children.
A quote from Scripture can be used to describe this cruel practice, but only if the right quote is used. “Do justice and love kindness” (Micah 6:8) is a quote used by Pence to justify his cruel actions. But the chapter continues with Micah 6:12 and Micah 6:13 which say “Your rich people are violent, your inhabitants are liars, and their tongues speak deceitfully. Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins.” The best quote for this cruel anti-immigration policy implemented by United States government could be Micah 7:5 “Do not trust your neighbor.”
United States are a powerful country and a powerful neighbor to Mexico and the countries of Central America. The U.S. administration should find a way to help those who are endangered and seeking asylum in the U.S., not treat them as criminals. As Patheos points out, what would happen if ancient Israel had an anti-immigration policy that was enforced on Mary and Joseph, as they fled for safety when Herod decreed that all infant boys be massacred? Or when they were desperately searching for a safe place to give birth to baby Jesus? Not only would Pence have separated Jesus and kept him in a cage, he would force baby Jesus to represent himself in court.
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