Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World released the following statements in response to the Trump administration’s announcement Saturday that it would seek to deny permanent residency and visas to legal immigrants who use public benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.
“The Bible makes it clear that God wants us to be generous to all people, specifically immigrants. Matthew 25:35 reads: ‘for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’ Yet, this proposal punishes legal immigrants by denying them permanent residency if they access safety net services because of temporary financial hardship. As a Christian organization, Bread for the World calls on the administration to immediately withdraw this harmful proposal.”
–Rev. David Beckmann, president at Bread for the World
“If adopted, the health and well-being of 27 million lawful residents in our country will be at risk – including children. Nearly one quarter of kids in the United States have at least one immigrant parent, and 9 in 10 of these children who would be most impacted – are U.S. citizens. Families of color would also be disproportionately impacted and forced to make the impossible choice of putting food on the table or seeking life-saving health care, and staying together. Millions will go hungry, including farm workers who feed our country.”
–José García, senior adviser for prayer and evangelical engagement at Bread for the World