The Moral Dilema of Helping Undocumented Moms

The Dilemma

An increasing issue we face on the sidewalks of abortion centers is how to deal with the influx of undocumented immigrants who come to abort their babies. As a ministry, how do we offer help to people who are breaking the law? We are answerable to God, and some of our teams have raised concerns about the morally questionable position they believe this places them. Are we aiding and abetting lawlessness?

On the other hand, it is usually due to the immigrant status that the women are coming to abort. They have an uncertain future, help and resources are limited, and they feel they have no other choice. Don’t we have a responsibility before God to try our best to save the baby, and offer them hope and help with that primary purpose in mind?

I want to preface this discussion with the recognition that very good and Godly people may come to different conclusions on this issue. While Love Life does not have a stated policy on this issue, we do have some guidance.

1. Our primary mission is to save unborn babies and create a culture of love and life, not to report people who do not uphold the law.

2. Many people we encounter on the abortion center sidewalks are engaged in illegal activity. Some things I see, or they tell me about: expired licenses, drug dealing, no car seat for young children, no car insurance, living in homes with groups far exceeding safety or fire hazard standards...

3. We do not generally explore or report these questionable or illegal activities. We focus on our mission to try to save the baby.

4. The Hispanic community is very close knit. If we were to report a Hispanic mom, we will quickly lose the trust of the entire community. It would be highly unlikely any would come to speak with us at all over the fear of deportation.

5. If we can convince the woman to save her baby and be mentored, we can have the opportunity to share the Gospel and let God convict her of how she should deal with her immigration status as well as her eternal salvation.

6. is no legal duty to report illegal immigrants.

Biblical guidance: the woman caught in adultery

“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””

John 8:1-12 NKJV

This passage has so many wonderful guiding principles. First, this woman was guilty. She was caught in the act of breaking the law. She had committed adultery. The accusers pointed to the fact that the law was broken, which was unquestionably true, and that the penalty was severe. The religious elite insisted it should be implemented. As upholders of the law, they self-righteously demanded Jesus tell them what they should do.

He refused. He was initially silent. He did not ask the woman if it was true. He did not ask them to clarify the law. He let silence speak to them. He did not delve for specifics in the situation. Then, after a period of silence, He reminded them that sin was part of the human condition. None of them were without sin. They all recognized this truth and melted away. At this point, Jesus urged the woman to sin no more but that His interest was NOT in upholding the law or condemning her. As He points out at the end of the passage, His interest was in dispelling darkness by following the Light of Life.

Application

While we may discern immigration status, and it is useful to know in determining how we can help, we do not need to ever ask directly, thus putting us in a moral struggle. Like Jesus, we can begin in silence to questions about carrying out the penalty of broken laws. We can focus on the immediate and pressing need; the life and salvation of a person walking in darkness. It was not accomplished by carrying out the law. It was accomplished by mercy and compassion.

Specific Guidelines in Helping Undocumented Immigrants

The Language Barrier

We did a podcast episode specifically on the language barrier (https://www.gospelcenteredprolife.com/overcoming-the-language-barrier/) which might be useful to listen to. We give many suggestions on how to deal with people who do not speak English. Technology can be our friend in this! Great translating apps are widely available, and many are free.

Discerning Legal Status

We first need to discern if they are indeed undocumented without scaring them away from talking with us. I usually ask if they are able to receive medicare. If they say no, or tell me they cannot get any insurance, I know it is likely they are undocumented. I assure them immediately that no matter what their immigration status is, we want to help them. I rarely, if ever, directly ask them their immigration status.

Assuring Them of Our Desire to Help

We let them know that their immigrant status is NOT our issue to deal with, we will not report them, and we will do everything in our power to help both the mom and the baby. In Charlotte, we are blessed to have a partner ministry (Embrace Latina Voices) who has free immigration lawyers and help specific to the Latino population. We also have a wonderful prolife doctor who provides free medical care during the pregnancy to undocumented moms. It is a model that would be wonderful to have in all cities, but I understand most do not.

Talking with local PRC directors is often a good first step in finding resources because often they already have developed plans to deal with this growing issue.

Understanding the Obstacles

Finding services IS harder when women are undocumented. Additionally, we have found there are sometimes very troubling and messy situations. Sometimes they are here in America alone, with children still in their home country. Sometimes they were raped in the process of making their way here. Sometimes they are in adulterous relationships with a married man who is working here and sending money home to his family. Sometimes they are living in groups in very small apartments. They are often fearful of asking for help for fear of deportation. Understanding these issues help us to counsel with more compassion.

Suggestions for Resources and How to Find them

In Charlotte, we often connect the moms to local hispanic House of Refuge churches, but the mentors are deluged. The need is growing faster than we can keep up at times. Locally, we do have a maternity center (Missionaries of Charity) that will also take these moms in. Again, it might be good to call the maternity centers in your area and find out their policy on this and whether they can direct you to help.

Beyond what Love Life provides and the resources to which a Pregnancy Resource Center can point the moms, Google is a valuable resource. I use key words and phrases to search for resources in the community where the mom resides.

For example, recently I searched for resources in Denver, Colorado. I used key phrases such as “maternity homes for undocumented pregnant women,” “resources for undocumented families in Denver,” “medical aid for undocumented women in Denver,” “help for undocumented moms with kids in Denver,” etc. I was able to find a long list of potential resources. Some of what I found is listed below to give an idea of how helpful a targeted Google search can be. This article indicates that next year, they will be able to get Medicaid in Colorado:

(https://www.cpr.org/2022/06/07/colorado-expands-medicaid-access-undocumented-pregnant-people)  

Here is another resource in Denver for helping them access medical

care: https://www.denverhealth.org/patients-visitors/amenities-experience/immigrant-refugee-patient-rights 

Here’s a place that offers supplies for families and children in Denver:

https://centerforhealthprogress.org/the-campaigns/immigrant-health/

https://hungerfreecolorado.org/service/snap-for-mixed-status/

This is another resource specific to Denver area help for undocumented families: Undocumented Families and Immigrant Communities Click here to have access to resources in Colorado for undocumented folks and immigrant families. This list was compiled by Informed Immigrant. This is almost always my strategy when I encounter issues I am not sure of how to tackle. Usually if I persevere, I find helpful info.

Always Counsel with Three Key Talking Points

Despite the significant struggles these women face, murder of their unborn child is never the answer. The Latino population almost universally believes in God and will admit abortion is wrong. They are often more easily persuaded to consider a choice for life than some other groups we meet because of their culture. They often do not know of the resources available and if help is offered, it can quickly change their outlook on the child.

I always share the Gospel and relevant scripture about the baby and what God says on the issue of murder. While they almost always tell me they believe in God, I often find they do not know specific convicting scripture such as Deuteronomy 30:19. They tend to be strongly convicted the more I point them to the word of God.

They also are often further along than some of the other women we meet at the abortion center. I believe this is in part due to difficulty finding the center because of language barriers. Sometimes it is due to struggles finding transportation, the money for the abortion, or conflict in their heart which delays them from taking action. They are often NOT knowledgeable about the development of the unborn child and are surprised at how developed even a very young unborn child is. When they see the baby on the ultrasound, they are often shocked at what they see, and sometimes change their mind on the spot!

Summary

Dealing with moms coming to abort who are here in America without documentation is a huge and growing problem. Below is a summary of how we deal with it:

1. Have a good translator app on your phone so you can communicate (or learn Spanish as I am and have key SWO phrases ready. We do have a list of those in our Love Life SWO Field Guide.)

2. Let them know you only want to help them and their baby, not report them

3. Research and have on hand the resources and organizations already in place for undocumented immigrants

4. Connect with Latino churches as potential House of Refuge Churches and mentor pool.

5. Usually they are the easiest group we work with in terms of choosing life because the culture is clear that the unborn child should not be killed. Largely religious group who almost uniformly say they know God and know abortion is wrong.

6. Still counsel as you would any mom with the 3 talking points.