Comprehensive immigration reform is an issue that crosses party lines and is supported by an overwhelming majority, 80%, of Long Islanders.
Organizations from all walks of life, including those representing labor, business, technology, agriculture, law enforcement, and the advocacy community, all have been working together to help push reform forward. However, the Evangelical and faith communities just may be the key that helps move this issue over the top.
“The Evangelicals have historically been very vocal with issues concerning life quality and issues facing our nation,” Apostle Carlos Luis Vargas of the Freeport Bible Center told Long Island Wins. “And at this present moment, Evangelicals, especially Latinos and Koreans, have been very involved in the immigration reform process and have been a key element.”
One of the ways that Apostle Vargas believes the Evangelical community can help to push this issue over the top is through media. There are a variety of television and radio programs that broadcast faith-based content, including stations that broadcast Evangelical programming 24 hours a day. He believes that these would be an incredibly powerful and effective way to reach a large audience about this important issue.
“There are many Evangelical priests and pastors with daily radio and television programs, and they speak to the nation,” said Apostle Vargas. “They will be key if they can speak about immigration in the proper way, not just to the Evangelical community, but to the community at large. They need to talk about the issues.They will be key if they can use that communication. We need to get them to put time in their programs to talk about this issue.”
We reported yesterday that the support for immigration reform from the Evangelical community nationwide has been so strong, that some have said that they will “denounce” those that block reform from happening.
We are announcing the Gospel that welcomes the stranger and we will denounce those that block immigration reform.
While Apostle Vargas was unable to comment on the strong sentiment of denouncing immigration reform opponents, he feels that it is the right thing to do to welcome the stranger.
“We all understand the importance of welcoming the stranger,” said Apostle Vargas. “And I know that most Evangelicals do agree with immigration reform.”
Apostle Vargas will help push this issue forward by contacting all of those within his reach in the Evangelical community to talk about the importance of immigration reform. All of us need to do the same, in contacting our elected officials to act on this issue as a first order of business when they return from recess.
