World’s Top Nations Born of Migration Turn on Migrants

 

When Migrant Nations Turn on Migrants

“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”
— Exodus 22:21

The Tragic Irony of Migrant Nations

The United States and Israel are two of the world’s most powerful migrant nations. Built by people seeking refuge, opportunity, and survival, their stories are testaments to human resilience. Yet today, both nations stand accused of grossly mistreating migrants and asylum seekers. The irony is painful and contravenes a biblical warning.

History should have made these nations more compassionate, not less. Shared struggles should have created empathy. But instead, fear, nationalism, and politics have rewritten the narrative. What we now see in migrant detention centers, refugee camps, and border walls is not progress—it’s a betrayal of founding principles and moral imperatives.

A Nation of Immigrants: The U.S. Legacy

America’s entire identity is tied to migration. From the Mayflower pilgrims to the waves of Irish, Italian, African, and Latin American migrants, the U.S. became a global superpower because of immigrants, not despite them. The Statue of Liberty still holds its ancient promise:
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

But the reality today tells a different story. Images of children in cages shocked the world in 2018. Families were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under the “Zero Tolerance” policy. Even now, asylum seekers from Haiti, Venezuela, and Central America face brutal treatment—detained for months, deported hastily, or trapped in legal limbo.

The political rhetoric has grown toxic. Migrants are framed as threats, not humans. They are accused of stealing jobs, increasing crime, or burdening the system. But statistics paint a clearer picture—immigrants contribute far more to economies than they take. The problem is not numbers; it’s narrative.

The Israeli Paradox

Israel’s story begins with exile. Abraham was a migrant, migrating from Ur to Canaan. Jacob (also known as Israel) was a migrant. Israel migrated with this entire family, living as migrants in Egypt for 400 years. And lest they forget, the scriptures remind them in the book of Exodus. From biblical times to the horrors of the Holocaust, Jewish identity has been forged through migration and displacement. Zionism itself was a response to centuries of persecution—a dream of safety for a scattered people.

So, how did a nation born from diaspora become so hostile to African asylum seekers?

Over the past two decades, tens of thousands of Eritrean and Sudanese migrants arrived in Israel, fleeing war, dictatorship, and genocide. They walked through deserts, risked their lives, and hoped for sanctuary. Instead, they faced prison-like detention, harassment, and forced deportations.

In 2023, riots broke out in Tel Aviv between rival migrant groups, prompting a wave of anti-immigrant crackdowns. Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that “illegal infiltrators” would be removed. Policies were passed to strip them of protections and dignity.

Israel’s Supreme Court has occasionally pushed back, affirming that asylum seekers deserve legal rights. But public sentiment and political will have tilted toward exclusion. The message is clear: unless you’re Jewish, your welcome is conditional.

Biblical Reminders and Broken Promises

The Bible—held sacred by both nations—does not shy away from the topic of migrants. It speaks directly to the moral duty owed to them. Exodus 22:21 says:
“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

This is not merely a poetic line—it’s a command rooted in empathy and justice. Both Jews and Christians are reminded that the pain of displacement should make them more humane. They are told that memory should shape morality.

But somehow, political expediency has drowned out spiritual truth. Leaders quote the Bible when it suits them, but ignore it when it demands compassion. The prophetic voice is missing, replaced by populism and fear.

The Global Mirror

This is not just about America and Israel. Their actions reflect a growing global trend. From the UK’s Rwanda deportation scheme to the Mediterranean migrant drownings, the world seems to have lost its soul when it comes to migration.

Borders have become battlegrounds. Refugees are framed as invaders. And entire communities are criminalized simply for seeking safety.

But when two nations that should know better lead the charge—when the U.S. and Israel treat migrants with cruelty—the consequences are deeper. It signals that history no longer matters. That memory has been erased.

What Can Be Done?

We must reclaim the narrative. Migrants are not threats; they are people. People with dreams, fears, and the right to dignity.

Here’s what must change:

1. Stop criminalizing migration. Seeking asylum is legal under international law. No one should be punished for fleeing danger.

2. Invest in humane processing. Speed up asylum procedures. Treat people with care and respect.

3. Hold leaders accountable. Policies that abuse migrants must be exposed, challenged, and overturned.

4. Revive moral memory. Religious institutions, civil society, and the media must remind us of our shared pasts. We were all migrants once.

5. Support migrant communities. Integration, not isolation, is the key to a healthy, diverse society.

 

A Call to Conscience

It’s time for migrant nations to lead by example again. To treat others as they wish to be treated. To remember that greatness comes not from walls, but from welcome.

The U.S. and Israel have shaped global history through migration. They have built democracies, resisted tyranny, and offered hope. They can do so again—but only if they reclaim their founding values.

The world is watching. And so is history.

Let us not forget Exodus 22:21.

“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

May this verse move from scripture to policy. From memory to action. From lip service to lived justice.

NOTE: As of mid-2024, there were an estimated 304 million international migrants worldwide, accounting for 3.7% of the global population. The number of forcibly displaced people is estimated to have slightly decreased to 122.1 million by the end of April 2025. This includes refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people – UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports

U.S. Department of Homeland Security policy archives

Haaretz and Al Jazeera news reports on Israeli migrant policies

Pew Research Center studies on migration and public opinion

Biblical scripture (Exodus 22:21, New Living Translation)

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