The following is an opinion piece and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Clarion, its staff or the institution. If you would like to submit a response or an opinion piece of your own, please contact [email protected].

Although Samuel Krueger’s article in the Sept. 14 issue was written with good intentions, we must honor the Bible and the expectations set for us by God.

By Kailyn Hill

Every summer I return to my job as a nanny, wiping butts and noses to stay afloat in a sea of student debt. As I sat in a wading pool at a park in North Minneapolis, I was overjoyed to see children of different skin colors becoming best friends over their shared love of splashing other people in the face. Our country has come far, but the road ahead is long. I fear that with the projected path of the current presidency, hatred will become a default emotion for young people in the United States.

I would like to think that I am a logical, reasonable Christian woman. It has equally enraged me and broken my heart to see so many “Christians” jumping for joy at many of Trump’s propositions that have been underlined with hatred, fear, misogyny and judgement.

On Sept. 14, The Clarion published an opinion piece by columnist Samuel Krueger, which supported Trump’s decision to repeal the current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, endangering countless youth in our country. If you didn’t read the article in question, DACA is a program that began during President Obama’s time in office that protects immigrants whose parents entered the United States without passing through the legal channels set in place.

Even though the children currently under the protective umbrella of the DACA program are not American citizens by law, they are Americans in every other sense of the word. For many of them, this is the only life they know. Krueger thinks that ending the DACA “is not just the most practical thing to do, it is the most constitutional thing to do.” Here’s my question for you, Samuel Krueger: Is ending the DACA what Jesus would do?

My point in this article is not to get overly political, but rather to stress that God’s commands for us should be held miles higher than any allegiance to a political party or man-made constitution. What we are called to do in the book of John is to love others unconditionally as He loves us. Last year, third place Omark Preaching Competition winner Josiah Hagen preached from the book of Ruth about the importance of loving the foreigner. If interested, you can find Hagen’s full sermon in the seminary section of the Bethel University website.

As Christians living in a politically tumultuous time for our country, now more than ever our focus needs to be on showing God’s love to everyone we come across in whatever way possible. If that means finding a better format for the DACA program, I will be open to accepting that. What I will not accept, however, is Christians supporting actions by a leader that are in direct contrast with the Christian faith. Many American Evangelicals are lost, and I continue to pray that they find their way, just as I pray that Trump will find sense and success in his presidency.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40