Support for immigration reform is growing among Southern Baptists and other evangelical Christians. That was the message from a Southern Baptist Convention leader in recent news conferences.
“[A]s I’ve gone around the Southern Baptist Convention, I’ve found significant support and growing support for comprehensive immigration reform in Southern Baptist life,” said Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, in a news conference call April 4.
The Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition of evangelical Christian leaders, announced sponsorship of an ad campaign beginning the same date in four states: Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.
The ads, which urge listeners to pray for and encourage their elected representatives to support immigration reform, are scheduled to run on 50 Christian radio stations.
Recent public opinion polls showed white evangelicals trailing behind other religious groups in supporting a path to citizenship or legal status for undocumented immigrants.
A Pew Research Center survey found 62 percent of white evangelicals said immigrants in the country illegally should be allowed to stay — with 40 percent saying they should be able to apply for citizenship and 20 percent for permanent residency. That total trailed the responses from Catholic and other Protestant groups in the poll results announced March 28.
Overall, 71 percent of Americans favored immigrants in the country illegally being able to remain but only 43 percent for citizenship.
(BP)
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