Under the leadership of past ERLC President Dr. Richard Land, the ERLC joined other evangelical organizations to create the Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT) in 2012. The EIT Statement of Principles was signed by a broad cross-section of Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) leaders, including past SBC presidents Jack Graham, Ronnie Floyd, Bobby Welch, J.D. Greear, and Bryant Wright, as well as many other SBC leaders. The statement consisted of six foundational principles:
- Respecting the God-given dignity of every person;
- Guaranteeing secure national borders;
- Protecting the unity of the immediate family;
- Respecting the rule of law;
- Ensuring fairness to taxpayers;
- Establishing a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents.
As with membership in any coalition, the ERLC was not obligated to endorse or advocate for any bill, proposal, or position. The ERLC takes seriously its ministry assignment from our convention of churches to advocate for positions on immigration communicated through numerous resolutions (2006, 2011, 2018, 2023), centered on strong border security, the rule of law, compassion for people escaping religious persecution, family unity, upholding the dignity of every person as image-bearers of God, and sharing the gospel with every tribe, tongue, and nation.
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