Full-Page Pro-Immigrant Ad in The New York Times

Full-Page Pro-Immigrant Ad in The New York Times

Full-Page Pro-Immigrant Ad in The New York Times

All eligible immigrants are welcome to the United States

Eight Christian leaders, notably Leith Anderson, the President of National Association of Evangelicals, Scott Arbeiter, the President of World Relief, Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership, Russell Moore, President of Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty, and Jo Anne Lyon, the General Superintendent Emerita Ambassador of Wesleyan Church were among many Christian leaders, law enforcement officials and CEOs to provide their signatures to "Immigrants and Immigration Strengthen Us" statement. The complete statement was run as a full-page advertisement in The New York Times on July 8. The statement requests both Democrats and Republicans to join in a "constructive conversation" on the issues linked to immigration.

Full-Page Pro-Immigrant Ad in The New York Times[/tweetthis]

The signors belonged to the National Immigration Forum which began functioning in 2013. According to its website, the Forum has lent its support to wide immigration solutions which can be described as compassionate but at the same time also keep the country secure, nurture the economy, and respect all American laws. The National Immigration Forum board includes top corporate denizens, like the chief of Dropbox. There are representatives from traditional industrial sectors and from the farming communities as well.

The advertisement bats for the inclusive U.S.A. The signors point out that immigration and immigrants do nothing but strengthen America and have done so since the country was founded. The notion of America is defined by how immigrants get treated. Americans' commitment towards refugees describes the values of this nation. It describes the family as the base of any society, advocating that one should help another. Immigrants, the advertisement says, contribute in both immeasurable and quantifiable ways.

The Forum's arguments are valid: from the latter part of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, approximately 12 million immigrants landed at Ellis Island. They all had the same objective: to begin their life anew.

The content of the advertisement in its concluding paragraphs states that the U.S. Government should encourage citizenship for all eligible foreigners who wish to become American citizens. The government must permit everyone, whether holding U.S. citizenship or not, to be their best in what they want to be. It pointed out that America is great only as its citizens are good themselves. The last lines state the signors' desire to engage in a constructive debate with anyone keeping the human dignity intact. It welcomed people of every faith, independent of their birthplace.

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