ChurchSafety

Immigration is one issue where a lot of reasonable people disagree. Within your own church's context, how does your community respond to the issue of immigration? What kind of outreach can your church legally extend to undocumented immigrants? What would you do if one of them came to you seeking employment? How can you offer compassion without being on the wrong side of the law?

Each of these questions might have multiple answers—again, reasonable Christians from many different denominations might have vastly different reactions when looking at these issues. Of course you must consider how your church responds legally—your church should follow the laws of the United States, and you need to understand the consequences of breaking those laws. Here is a quick look at some of the legal requirements churches must follow:

Churches aren't legally obligated to determine the citizenship status of its members. However, when an individual is hired, churches are required to maintain a Form I-9 for each paid staff member, which verifies their ability to work in the United States.

If you're hiring internationals, be sure to understand the various visas that are required and how to stay in compliance with them.

All staff and volunteers should undergo a criminal background check before serving at church. You'll find a sample application form in the download "Immigration and the Church" that shows you what questions you can ask to perform a background check on someone who is from another country.

Immigration is a thorny issue. It poses serious moral, ethical, and legal dilemmas for churches. At the same time, churches may be uniquely equipped to minister to people who are trying to find a path to citizenship. Discuss immigration with your church leaders and determine what steps you'll take when confronted with the issue of how to handle an undocumented immigrant in your congregation.

share this page