Greetings!

February brings us Valentine's Day. I hope the Lord continues to move your heart to support immigrant ministries in your area. This issue presents ministry news and part two of a series on immigration law. 

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others or ask them to sign up at www.isaacproject.com. Also, if you have some immigration news you would like to share, please contact me at Richard.Munoz@bgct.com.

ISAAC Guidebook

The 2008 ISAAC Guidebook is here! To access it, visit www.isaacproject.com

This guide will walk you through the recognition and accreditation and help you and your church complete the process.

Planting seeds for a new "Philemon Ministry"

"I beg you to help Onesimus!  He is like a son to me because I led him to Christ here in jail" Philemon 1:10 (CEV).

A few weeks ago, a pastor in Texas reported that a male member of his congregation was in immigration detention and in the process of being sent back to Mexico. He was leaving behind his wife and children who were all U.S. citizens.

The pastor was distressed because this man hadn't lived in Mexico since 1989 and had no family connections there.  In a few short days, he was going to be sent back and literally be on the street in Mexico.  After several phone calls, we were able to locate a church and pastor in Mexico who would meet this person when he arrived.  The church has provided a valuable safety and social net for this young man.  He remains in faith and is now working with the proper authorities to try and return to the United States legally.

Immigration law is what it is.  Irrespective of one's feelings, current law enforcement policies will force many in this country to leave.  This causes unique strains on families.  As you know, ISAAC is not an advocacy group, but we do encourage people of faith to engage in proactive immigration ministry within the law. 

Why should we let our brothers and sisters in Christ go through this experience alone? 

We have networks of churches and missionaries in virtually every country on earth.  If someone is sent to their original country by immigration officials, they will have practical and immediate needs of housing, spiritual support, social networks and employment.  Additionally, they will need to work with the proper authorities if they wish to immigrate to the United States legally.  Without a home, job, spiritual support or social network, a newly removed immigrant will be greatly tempted to return to the United States without proper authorization.  If this happens, the cycle will begin again.

Why can't we set up a network of churches, missionaries and fellow Christians abroad that will be there for our brothers and sisters in Christ when they return to their country of origin? 

Please keep these things in prayer. We are hoping to develop a ministry model where we can pair brothers and sisters in Christ with newly removed immigrants in their home country. Additionally, the families left behind in the United States will also need help.  We are praying that churches, associations and Christians will recognize this need and be the presence of Christ in their lives.

This is not a solution to the immigration issues facing the United States.  It is intended, however, to be an expression of Christ to a hurting world.

Any ideas or suggestions about how to start, structure or develop this new effort are greatly appreciated. Please e-mail me at Richard.Munoz@bgct.com.

United States Immigration Laws (Part 2) - 1800-1900

This is the second in a series of articles on U.S. Immigration Law.  The first article is found in the January 2008 issue of the newsletter. It can be accessed at www.isaacproject.org.

1800-1900:  U.S. and World Events:

There were several world events that impacted U.S. immigration between 1800 and 1900.  Slavery was still systemic and states were either "slave" or "free states." The U.S. population in 1801 was five million. Approximately one million people (20 percent of the population) were of African descent. The country expanded with the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804).  During this time, there were several small acts passed by Congress that dealt with immigration. But no major legislation was approved.

Meanwhile, wars, famine, religious and political persecution in Western Europe caused hundreds of thousands of Europeans including Germans, Irish and Italians to immigrate to the United States.  In 1846, the United States and Mexico were at war.  In 1848, the war ended and the U.S. gained territory in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and California. 

According to the United States Census Bureau, there were 2,244,602 "foreign born" persons in the United States in 1850. Over 2,000,000 were from Europe. The total population of the United States was over 23,000,000.  So a little less than 10 percent of the population were "foreign born." 

Prior to 1855, there was no immigration processing center or laws that restricted immigration. There were no visa, passport or numerical caps on immigration.  Immigrants simply declared whatever items they had to customs and went on their way.  One source states, "Prior to 1855, ships simply left them at the wharf to fend for themselves, stranded and made prey by con men."

Check it out here and here.

Between 1855 and 1890, the United States set up the first processing center in Castle Garden, New York. The operations then shifted to Ellis Island. After a subsequent fire, a rebuilt Ellis Island was an immigration processing center from 1900 to 1924.

By 1860, the population was approximately 31,400,000. Meanwhile, the foreign born population doubled to 4,138,697, or 13 percent. Over 3,800,000 of the population was from Europe.

View the table here.

Pull this and other data from the U.S. Census Web site here.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882:

In 1840, California experienced its famous Gold Rush and thousands of people went there to find work and fortune. This included thousands of Chinese immigrants. Read about it in the Library of Congress here.

The economy went bad and the Chinese were blamed for depressing wages. See the text of a pamphlet here.

The anti-Chinese furor reached its height in 1882, when Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. The Library of Congress describes the situation:

This barred Chinese laborers from immigrating for ten years. Only officials, teachers, students, merchants and travelers were allowed to enter. The Chinese currently in the United States were barred from naturalization. China, as the home country for these immigrants, was unable to exert any influence on American policy. This law stood in place till it was repealed in 1943.

Read the full article here.

Immigration Act of August 13, 1882:

This first general immigration law added classes of "inadmissible" aliens and charged a tax of fifty-cents on each passenger brought to the United States. This included criminals, prostitutes, idiots, lunatics and persons likely to become a public charge. The tax was about $27.00 in today's money. Click here to read more.

Alien Contract Labor Law of 1885:

There was a growing sense that cheap immigrant labor was depressing wages in the United States.  In response, labor unions persuaded Congress to pass the Alien Contract Labor Law of 1885. This act made it unlawful for "an alien to enter the United States under any contract to perform labor or service."  It was amended in 1887 and 1888 and remained in force until 1953. See here and here.
   
Immigration Act of March 3, 1891

This law established the Bureau of Immigration and amended the immigration law as follows:

1.    All persons "physically capable" over 16 years old who could not read and write in English or their native language were barred
2.    A short reading and writing test was administered.
3.    It became illegal for a person to work in the United States without a proper declaration of intention to become a citizen.
4.    It became illegal to hire an alien who failed to make a proper good faith declaration of intention to become a citizen.
5.    Violation by the alien resulted in a misdemeanor and deportation.
6.    Aliens arriving from Cuba were exempt.

Interestingly, railroads and steamship companies were exempted from No. 4. Read the full text here.

One year later, Ellis Island officially opened. 

That's it for this month.  Next month: Part 3 (1900-1949).

Texas Bar Association

Immigration Law 2008 (live)
Houston - Feb. 28-29, 2008
Westin Galleria Hotel
Houston, Texas

For more information click here.

"Never stop praying, especially for others."  Ephesians 6:18a (CEV). 

We get many calls from individuals that need prayer regarding their immigration situation.  Please pray for these people and that the Lord's will be done. 

·    Bryan, New Mexico. Bryan is appealing an immigration court decision that denied his spouse and child entry into the United States.
·    Virgilio, Texas. Virgilio is a pastor in the appeal process to re-enter the United States.
·    William, Texas. William is in immigration detention.
·    Luis, Texas.  Pray for Luis' wife and daughter as they attempt to obtain a visa to return to the United States.

If you or anyone you know would like to be added to this prayer list, or if you have immigration news that you would like to share, please contact me at Richard.Munoz@bgct.com.

Georgia passes new immigration measures

New 2009 USCIS budget requests

H2-A Temporary Agricultural Worker Program Fact Sheet

Baptist Immigration Services of Brownwood, Inc. awaits recognition

Baptist Immigration Services of Brownwood, Inc. ("BISB") has applied for BIA recognition and is also seeking the accreditation of Dr. Jesus Romero.  BISB is the second ISAAC affiliated immigration ministry in Texas and will serve the Central-West Texas area.  We are hopeful that BISB will receive approval within the next 60 days.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others or ask them to sign up at www.isaacproject.org. Also, if you have some immigration news you would like to share, please contact me at Richard.Munoz@bgct.com.