The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has reiterated principles on immigration — principles of love, law and family unity — and has communicated guidelines to local Church leaders in the United States.
The Church issued an official statement on Thursday, Jan. 30, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, saying the guidance closely follows previous statements made on immigration.
The statement said the principles guiding the Church’s approach to immigration-related issues include:
- “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints obeys the law.
- “We follow Jesus Christ by loving our neighbors. The Savior taught that the meaning of ‘neighbor’ includes all of God’s children.
- “We seek to provide basic food and clothing, as our capacity allows, to those in need, regardless of their immigration status. We are especially concerned about keeping families together.”
The Church’s Office of General Counsel has created and provided guidelines to help local leaders comply with federal laws where criminal charges may result from harboring, transporting or encouraging undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States, the statement said.
Also, OGC tracks legal developments to ensure local outreach and area-initiated humanitarian activities and projects are appropriate.
Local leaders are encouraged to contact the Office of General Counsel for additional information.
Of love and law
Church leaders have often pointed to the scriptures to cite the teachings of Jesus Christ in loving others, beginning with Matthew 22:37-39, which details God’s two great commandments:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
“This is the first and great commandment.
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Also, John 13:34-35 reads: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
In an October 2019 general conference address titled “The Second Great Commandment,” President Russell M. Nelson taught that Latter-day Saints, as well as other followers of Jesus Christ, are always looking for ways to help, lift and love others.
They who are willing to be called the Lord’s people “are willing to bear one another’s burdens, … to mourn with those that mourn; … and [to] comfort those that stand in need of comfort,” he said, referencing Mosiah 18:8-9.
President Nelson continued: “They truly seek to live the first and second great commandments. When we love God with all our hearts, He turns our hearts to the well-being of others in a beautiful, virtuous cycle.”
The Church’s 12th article of faith states: “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”
What the General Handbook says
The Church’s General Handbook — available to the public on ChurchofJesusChrist.org — provides information and directives to Latter-day Saints regarding immigration, refugees and honoring the law in chapter 38, “Church Policies and Guidelines.”
Section 38.8.19 — titled “Immigration” — states that Latter-day Saints who remain in their native lands often have opportunities to build up and strengthen the Church there. “However, immigration to another country is a personal choice,” it says, adding, “Members who move to another country should obey all applicable laws (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:21).”
Also, the Church does not sponsor immigration through Church employment, and missionaries — as well as their parents, relatives or others — should not offer to sponsor or be asked to sponsor others' immigration.
The section also states: “Church members offer their time, talents, and friendship to welcome immigrants and refugees as members of their communities (see Matthew 25:35; see also 38.8.35 in this handbook).”
That section — 38.8.35, titled “Refugees” — acknowledges that many people have fled their homes seeking relief from violence, war, religious persecution and life-threatening situations. “As part of their responsibility to care for those in need (see Mosiah 4:26), Church members offer their time, talents and friendship to welcome refugees as members of their communities.”
And an earlier section in the same chapter — 38.8.22, “Laws of the Land” — says “Members should obey, honor and sustain the laws in any country where they live or travel,” citing both the 12th article of faith and Doctrine and Covenants 58:21–22.
Verse 21 reads: “Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land.”
Previous statements, additional information
A Newsroom topic page titled “Immigration” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org outlines “broad, foundational principles that have worldwide application” in similar information and language to the most recent statement.
On honoring the law, it states: “We acknowledge that every nation has the right to enforce its laws and secure its borders. All persons subject to a nation’s laws are accountable for their acts in relation to them.”
And on families, it adds: “We recognize an ever-present need to strengthen families. Families are meant to be together. Forced separation of working parents from their children weakens families and damages society.”
A statement in 2011 — issued during a period of debate on immigration reform — said, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supports a balanced and civil approach to a challenging problem, fully consistent with its tradition of compassion, its reverence for family, and its commitment to law.”
It included a reiteration of its policy of discouraging members from entering any country without legal documentation and from deliberately overstaying legal travel visas.
The 2011 statement added, mindful of the challenge of 12 million undocumented immigrants then residing in the United States, that “the bedrock moral issue for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is how we treat each other as children of God.”
And the Church issued a June 18, 2018, statement regarding the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border, reminding of its stance that immigration reform should strengthen families and keep them together. “While we recognize the right of all nations to enforce their laws and secure their borders, we encourage our national leaders to take swift action to correct this situation and seek for rational, compassionate solutions.”