Religious groups of almost every faith and denomination are trying to combat immigration laws they feel are unjust and inhumane.  Articles this past week appearing in the Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and The New York Sun each depicted a  united religious movement to reform immigration policies. 

Religious and secular aid groups are reeling after two church-based humanitarian workers were arrested for attempting to help three sick immigrants in the Arizona desert.  The prospect that religious groups could be the target of criminal investigations has many aid organizations openly criticizing current counter-immigration tactics.  According to Arin Gincer of the Los Angeles Times, much of the attention is on proposed legislation that would “expand the definition of 'smuggling' to anyone who 'assists' or 'directs' an illegal immigrant to reside or remain in the U.S.”

Supporters of the current immigration policies are angered by religious aid groups who persist in helping undocumented immigrants as they cross into the United States.  Though they agree that immigrants should be treated humanely, groups who support the current tactics for border security argue that helping individuals as they cross the border is equivalent to encouraging people to break the law.