Texas Congressman says Bible is against amnesty for undocumented migrants

In a recently published article, House Rep. Lamar Smith argues that the Bible supports the "rule of law," not amnesty for immigrants.

Take a look at the immigration crisis through photos. In a recently published article, House Rep. Lamar Smith argues that the Bible supports the "rule of law," not amnesty for immigrants.

Take a look at the immigration crisis through photos. Photo: Scott J. Ferrell/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Photo: Scott J. Ferrell/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Image 1 of / 53 Caption Close Texas Congressman says Bible is against amnesty for undocumented migrants 1 / 53 Back to Gallery

In a recently published Breitbart article, San Antonio-area Rep. Lamar Smith argued the Bible supports "the rule of law" rather than amnesty for migrants.

"The Scriptures clearly indicate that God charges civil authorities with preserving order, protecting citizens, and punishing wrongdoers," Smith wrote.

Smith said a passage used by amnesty advocates— "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong"— does not mean that "foreigners should disregard civil laws to enter illegally."

After citing multiple passages and giving his interpretation, Smith said Americans shouldn't apologize for upholding "the rule of law."

OPPOSING VIEW: The Bible is literature for the resistance [Opinion]

"There is a difference, though, between those who play by the rules and come in the right way and those who don't," Smith writes. "And the Bible's commentary on strangers and foreigners makes that clear."

The Texas Congressmen's article comes less than a month after Attorney General Jeff Sessions cited a Bible verse to defend the practice of separating immigrant families.

Smith has penned several articles on Breitbart, two of which argue against amnesty for immigrants and another that questions the credibility of climate change science.

Fernando Ramirez covers Texas news and politics. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. | Fernando.ramirez@chron.com | @fernramirez93



