Should believers report undocumented immigrants to authorities?
Introduction
For the Christian, the question of reporting undocumented immigrants is an agonizing ethical dilemma because it forces a choice between two legitimate, God-given responsibilities: the duty to obey the civil law and the duty to love the vulnerable stranger.
There is no single verse that dictates an answer, so the Christian must use wisdom to discern which duty holds the higher priority in a specific context.
Main: The Two Competing Biblical Mandates
The decision hinges on the tension between the command to respect human government and the command to serve God's heart for the vulnerable.
1. The Duty to Respect Governing Authorities (Romans 13)
The Bible establishes that all governing authority is ordained by God, and Christians are generally required to submit to the laws of the land.
God’s Ordained Authority: Paul states: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1). A foundational Christian principle is to be law-abiding citizens who pay taxes and respect the legal framework of their society.
The Exception: Biblical history demonstrates that the duty to obey the government is superseded only when the government requires a believer to disobey a direct command from God (e.g., Acts 5:29: "We must obey God rather than men"). In the case of immigration status, reporting is not explicitly a moral command from God, which leaves the issue open to ethical debate.
2. The Primary Duty to Love the Vulnerable Stranger
The command to love the neighbor, especially the vulnerable, is the highest social command in Scripture.
God’s Heart for the Sojourner: Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly commands Israel to protect and love the sojourner (the alien or stranger). “Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:19). This command is rooted in God's own compassionate character.
Caring for the Least of These: Jesus made care for the most vulnerable a test of genuine faith, specifically mentioning the "stranger": “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). The Christian mandate is to seek the well-being of the immigrant, not their deportation or punishment.
Prioritizing Mercy: In the conflict between following a specific law and fulfilling the command of mercy, Jesus often prioritized mercy (e.g., healing on the Sabbath). Most Christian ethicists conclude that the duty of pastoral care and compassion toward a vulnerable person outweighs the non-violent civil duty to report them to the state.
3. The Christian Role: Care, Not Enforcement
The Christian's role is not to be a citizen-enforcement agent of the state, but an agent of God's love and mercy.
Focus on Hospitality: The biblical call to the Church is hospitality—opening one's home and life to the stranger (Romans 12:13). This is an action of love, not judgment or policing.
The Use of Information: Sharing information that leads to a person's harm, especially the separation of families or deportation to a dangerous situation, is a direct violation of the love commandment. Unless an immigrant poses a proven threat of physical violence to the community, the default Christian response should be protection, care, and assistance, not reporting.
Conclusion
Should believers report undocumented immigrants? No, the Christian's primary ethical responsibility is to love and care for the neighbor and the stranger.
While a Christian should respect and pray for the government, their calling as a disciple of Jesus is higher: to model the radical compassion and mercy of God. Therefore, the Christian should focus on providing hospitality, dignity, and safety to the immigrant, leaving the enforcement of complex, non-moral civil laws to the government officials who are paid and equipped to do so.
