Immigration: How do we balance compassion with the rule of law?

Guest Bios Show Transcript President Trump is threatening to begin mass deportation roundups. While some Americans cheer these plans, others decry them as cruel and inhumane. This Saturday on The Roys Report, I’ll explore the immigration issue with both a Christian leader who believes illegal immigrants should be punished—and one who believes they should be given a pathway to citizenship. Don’t miss this important Roys Report. This Saturday morning at 11 on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life! This Weeks Guests David Iglesias Robert McFarland received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law.  Prior to joining the faculty of Faulkner University in 2004, Professor McFarland served as judicial clerk to the Honorable Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  He also practiced law in Texas and in Arizona as a member of Ekmark & Ekmark.  Professor McFarland teaches Torts, Remedies, and Federal Courts. Robert McFarland Robert McFarland received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law.  Prior to joining the faculty of Faulkner University in 2004, Professor McFarland served as judicial clerk to the Honorable Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and also practiced law in Texas and Arizona.  Professor McFarland presently teaches Foundations of Law and Federal Courts. He is the co-author of Foundations of Law (published by Carolina Academic Press) as well as other scholarly articles and essays. Show Transcript Note: This transcript has been slightly edited for continuity. Segment 1 JULIE ROYS: Well, welcome to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University. I am Julie Roys. And today, we’re going to tackle one of the most contentious issues in our country—the issue of immigration. There are 11-million illegal immigrants already living in the United States. And according to news reports, President Trump is going to begin nationwide raids to arrest and deport thousands of undocumented families this weekend. What do you think of that? So you support that or do you oppose it? In addition, there are 800-thousand illegal immigrants who have been shielded from deportation under DACA. That’s the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. These are people who were brought into the U.S. as children and have been granted work permits. But Trump did move to terminate DACA in 2017. And, though the federal courts have blocked Trump, the fate of those 800-thousand people protected by DACA is hanging in the balance. There’s also the issue of migrants being held in detention centers and border patrol stations. Conditions in some of these detention areas are reported to be abysmal. And at least six migrant children have died in U.S. custody over the past eight months.  But what’s the United States supposed to do? The Department of Homeland Security says it’s completely overwhelmed by the record number of migrants crossing the border each day.  Homeland Security has requested more than one-billion dollars to improve conditions for migrants. But many argue, there’s only so much one country can do. So, what do you think? How does a country balance the needs of its citizens and the rule of law—with decency and compassion? Should the U.S. let in more refugees and asylum-seekers? Or, should it uphold DACA or should it repeal it? These are really difficult issues. And we’re going to be wrestling with them today. And what about the 11-million illegal immigrants who are already here? Should we deport them—or should we give them a pathway to citizenship? Well Judson University student Carista Richie, she took to the streets this week. And she asked people that specific question about deportation or citizenship. Here’s what they said . . .