WASHINGTON—Evangelical Pastor Gary Kinnaman advocated for immigration reform Thursday with six other religious leaders from Arizona. Kinnaman said he can’t ignore the issue now that he’s witnessed the “human cost” Hispanic immigrants in his state have suffered.
Evangelical pastor Gary Kinnaman shares his views on immigration reform with fellow advocates, Bishop Minerva Carcano and Rev. Jan Olav Flaaten after meeting with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Thursday. (Photo credit: Eleanor Goldberg/MNS)
“I’m here representing evangelicals,” said Kinnaman after a morning meeting with Sen. John McCain. R-Ariz. “We are increasingly concerned.”
The interfaith group, composed of leaders from Jewish, Methodist, Evangelical Catholic and Episcopal communities, delivered an urgent moral message to Congress and the White House Thursday. They oppose the controversial Arizona law that insists immigrants carry documents at all times. The group wants the federal government, not the state, to take the lead on the issue.
“They’re pushing Sen. McCain and Sen. Kyl to step up and show principled leadership to solve the problem,” said Kristin Williams, of Faith in Public Life, the organization that helped bring the group to Washington.
The religious leaders had back-to-back meetings throughout the day with members of the Senate, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. They paused for a brief press conference outside of McCain’s office after meeting with the senator.
“I support John McCain,” Kinnaman assured. “I wouldn’t support open borders.”
However, Kinnaman and the other evangelicals who signed the Liberty Counsel’s May immigration statement see more areas to be tackled beyond border security. He thinks that the “shadow culture,” the dangerous conditions under which illegal immigrants live, needs to be appropriately dealt with, not with deportation, but with protection and a path to legalization. Those who once held documentation that perhaps expired, also deserve the government’s support too, according to Kinnaman.
At the session’s close Joseph Rubio of Industrial Areas Foundation in Arizona said he thinks the group conveyed their message, but a central concern wasn’t resolved.
“Who is going to be the central leadership?” asked Rubio. “We’re not sure we found it.”