Wayne Grudem is one of the most respected and influential theologians alive. His “Systematic Theology” has sold hundreds of thousands of copies and is used to train pastors. Last month, Evangelical Dark Web reported that Grudem embraced dispensationalism to advance a justification for the Iran War, in contradiction to his written material. But like most, if not all, the neocons who run the Christian Post, he is also advocating amnesty as a Christian solution to immigration.
In an article, “Blue Card plan: A Christian answer for unauthorized immigrants,” Grudem adopts liberal euphemisms for those who have invaded America.
Grudem’s first strategy is to use AI to grossly underestimate the number of illegal aliens at 14 million. 11 million was the number from decades ago, for perspective. Estimates range as high as 50 million in addition to 50 million legal immigrants, thus calling for mass deportations of 100 million people.
- Length of time in the USA: Some new arrivals have been here less than a week, while other unauthorized immigrants have lived here for 20 or even 30 years.
- Purpose for coming here: Many have come for economic reasons: Their goal is to find a steady job and be able to send some money back to family members in their country of origin. Others have come because of religious or political persecution in their country of origin. And no doubt some have nefarious motives such as drug dealing, theft, murder or rape.
- Job skills: Some are highly trained engineers, doctors, accountants and lawyers, while others are pharmacists, electricians and skilled carpenters, and still others have no specialized skills but seek work as manual laborers in restaurants, hotels and farms.
- Criminal history: Most have led law-abiding lives, while others have numerous criminal convictions.
- Friend or foe? Most have come because they admire the United States for its personal freedoms and its economic opportunities. But no doubt there have also been some (such as Islamic jihadists or Cuban or Chinese communists) whose purpose is to damage American society.
- Depth of “rootedness” in American society: Some have moved from city to city and put down very few roots, while others have married an American citizen, have raised children and now have American children and grandchildren, have been faithful and competent employees and have advanced into the management ranks in their companies, have coached children’s soccer teams and Little League baseball teams, have become faithful church members, have built many strong friendships, and have developed reputations as all-around “good neighbors.”
- Mode of entry: This is an important distinction in the way that immigration laws apply to people who are here without legal permission. About 40% of those who are here without authorization at first legally entered the United States on a temporary visa (such as for a tourist or a student or temporary worker), and then overstayed their visas. Others entered because they were part of a group fleeing humanitarian crises in places such as Afghanistan, Ukraine, Haiti, Cuba or Venezuela, and then American immigration policy changed and they no longer had permission to remain here.
Wayne Grudem provides a framework for amnesty based on 7 factors. From there, he tells a sob story about a “Maria” who married an American but is still illegal.
If the U.S. government decided that it was going to attempt to deport every person who is in the U.S. illegally (approximately 15 million people), the political party in power would likely experience a huge loss of public support. Such mass deportation would break up millions of families, leave millions of businesses without needed employees, and nullify the compassion for others that is part of the American character. It would also deprive America of the economic, cultural and societal benefits that immigrants bring to our country.
In my opinion, if such a process were to begin, this “total deportation” policy would have no hope of sustaining widespread political approval. Most of the American people would consider this to be an impossibly huge task, and one that is overly selfish and not mindful of the value that immigrants have brought to America. In fact, except for those descended from Native Americans, we are all descendants of immigrants from other countries.
Grudem appeals to popularity, despite Donald Trump winning the 2024 election on a mandate of mass deportations. Americans have already voted on the issue. And Americans might not like how the sausage is made, but they will love the results of cheaper housing, less traffic, less welfare fraud, and, of course, less crime. There are times to take unpopular measures, and if executed swiftly, the people will forgive any perceived cruelty. This is basic politik.
Then Grudem affirms liberal talking points about America being a nation of immigrants.
In suggesting a new status of “blue card holder,” I am just affirming and adding some details to the suggestion of political commentator and law school professor Hugh Hewitt, who proposed this idea in a Feb. 3, 2026, article.
Here are some details that I would suggest for such a blue card:
- It would grant legal permission to live in the United States. This would make such immigrants a recognized part of American society, no longer living in constant fear of deportation.
- It would last for five years and be renewable at that time.
- It could not be used as a path to citizenship or a green card.
- It would not allow an immigrant to vote or to run for office.
- It would allow an immigrant to leave the United States and return legally.
- It would allow an immigrant to get a driver’s license.
- It would allow an immigrant to get a valid Social Security number.
- It would require the immigrant to pay a fine as a penalty for crossing the border illegally or overstaying a visa.
Grudem’s amnesty proposal does not address the demographic concerns that arise from birthright citizenship, nor does it address government benefits, except with the implication that they can receive Social Security.
Wayne Grudem appeals to popularity, but as soon as word gets out that this is clearly amnesty, support for the blue card will tank, just like it has for every other amnesty bill.
One Response
Comfortable UMC white-collar types love to talk about how these people enrich us socially and culturally, not having to live with the consequences of mass third-world immigration.
There is something fundamentally un-Christlike in refusing to consider the impact of this immigration upon your lesser-placed neighbours.