http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14270911.htm
Immigration issues divides evangelicals
ERICA WERNER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Evangelical groups released a letter Wednesday advocating immigration reforms, including a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country. But the influential National Association of Evangelicals did not sign it, underscoring divisions among conservative Christians over immigration.

The letter to President Bush and members of Congress was signed by dozens of pastors from around the country and several Latino evangelical groups, including the Latino Leadership Foundation and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. The letter doesn't endorse a specific proposal but embraces the main elements of legislation being debated in the Senate that would create a guest worker program for illegal immigrants.

Many conservatives support stronger border enforcement measures like those in a House-passed bill, and criticize moves to create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already here as amnesty.

"There seems to be a great misunderstanding on behalf of particularly white evangelicals on this issue," said the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez Jr., president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. "Hispanic evangelicals really believe that we can be the brokers between the law and order (side) and the pursuit of the American dream side. ... You can't just be law and order."

The National Association of Evangelicals, which represents some 57 denominations and 45,000 churches, released a statement on immigration from the group's chairman, William Hamel.

"The evangelical community is unified in our desire to achieve a balanced and thoughtful perspective on immigration that is consistent with a biblical worldview and one that accurately reflects our membership," the one-paragraph statement says without commenting on specific immigration measures.

The group's vice president for governmental affairs, the Rev. Richard Cizik, read part of the statement at a press conference held by evangelical groups supporting a guest worker program for illegal immigrants. Cizik downplayed NAE not signing the other groups' letter. World Relief, NAE's development arm, did sign it.

Evangelicals "believe in law and order, but we are also the most compassionate, I think, of communities around the country today," Cizik said. "And I think what is perplexing to Congress is frankly what often perplexes evangelicals - how do you reach the right balance of both."

Cizik said Hispanics have the highest rates of conversion to evangelical denominations, and that the movement was conscious of the opportunity presented by the immigration debate to gain converts.