Biblically speaking we’re not Americans—at least not primarily. Our first allegiance, according to Scripture, is to God’s Kingdom, not to any nation-state, even a great one like the U.S.A.—perhaps especially to one like the U.S.A., precisely because such a pleasant, affluent country demands our first loyalties more seductively than a dictatorial regime or country mired in poverty.

A friend emailed me yesterday to ask what the process would look like for Libyan refugees to come to the United States. After all, the U.S. is proud of its reputation as a haven for the persecuted and those seeking freedom. I thought it might serve as a good opportunity to explain how our refugee system works.

Too-many Christians wrestle with the issue of immigration in a way that pits love and mercy on one side with law and justice on the other—and then feel conflicted. Are these the only two options? Matt Soerens from UnDocumented.tv weighs in.