Beyond Borders: A Christian Ethical Response to Border Control in the United States

Abstract

Border control is a sociopolitical issue in the United States that has ignited heated conversation and, in some cases, caused division among U.S. citizens. In the midst of seeking solutions to better secure our nation’s borders, many have neglected the fact that there is currently a human crisis at the southwestern border. Thousands of migrant children have been separated from their families and are now forced to live in detention centers where there is a lack of food and proper shelter. There have also been numerous deaths for those attempting to cross our border. Keeping in mind the suffering, the objective of this study is to suggest a Christian ethical response to the crisis at the border. Providing a political analysis of border control and an exegetical study of biblical passages that may be applicable to the current crisis, this thesis proposes principles and policies that U.S. Christians must embrace in order to see the suffering come to an end. While border control is an issue worthy of recognition, my thesis concludes that the well-being of migrants must be prioritized above other matters and that neutrality in the midst of suffering is not a virtuous option for Christians.