Suppose you are a conscientious social services worker and you stumbled across a family of illegal immigrants. Suppose you came across knowledge of this family strictly by accident or fate. It happens that this family is working several jobs, paying rent, and doing all other things that citizens do. They stay within the bounds of the law, they pay taxes, and their children are as precocious as the next door neighbor's kids. And suppose you came across information about this family because one of the kids is in desperate need of the kind of medical attention that, because of expense, would almost certainly require health insurance. And because this family is doing everything just to provide food, a home, and decent clothes for school, they cannot afford health insurance. What to do?
A citizen is required by law to report illegal activity. A Christian is required to obey the law for the sake of "good order". Whether we would agree or disagree with the law is not a matter for us to take upon ourselves. If there is no reasonable and lawful order within society, anarchy would ensue. We have an obligation to do our part to help maintain this order within our society.
I wish I could remember what I must have heard on the radio driving home from work, but something pushed this notion into my mind. No, I am not a social worker but I've often wondered about the dilemmas these professionals must confront on a daily basis. In such a case as what I have offered, what would be the "right" thing to do? Being illegal aliens - including the children - they are not entitled to any government assistance. Publicity would only reveal this family to the media and, ultimately, the authorities.
So does it then become a matter of law or a matter of morals? Can the two be separated? Must there be a distinction between the two? This fictitious family is "playing by the rules" with one glaring exception: they have broken the law by entering into this country illegally. Even still, there is a child in desperate need of medical attention. It may even be a matter of life or death for this child, but the expense of her treatment would be prohibitive for most citizens.
There is no real point here except to say that we seem to hinge every argument we would care to make on one simple point: they broke the law by entering into this country. They are "criminals" by definition. Does this somehow make them less than human? Judging by callers to one particular radio station, it would seem so. Is this how we really feel?
2 comments:
Despite living in a border state, immigration has never been huge on my personal radar, but I have been thinking about it a lot lately ever since a couple was arrested in AZ for transporting an illegal immigrant to the hospital.
It seems to me saving lives should trump all the other concerns and shouldn't be against the law, but beyond that, the issue is so sticky and thorny, I don't know what to think.
By the way, I found your blog through a thoughtful comment you wrote in mine and have been enjoying it very much.
I wish I knew what to think. I have some very strong opinions on the subject, but I am compelled to speak strictly on a "morals" basis rather than any point of law. Being arrested for transporting a human person to a hospital, regardless of that person's immigrant status, is a bit over the top. Surely the authorities could see extinuating circumstances. Then again, a point of law does not leave much wiggle room, does it?
Thank you for your comments. I thoroughly enjoyed your blog as well.
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