A Catholic conservative friend of mine was so irritated by the Church’s politicking on behalf of amnesty a few years ago that she told me she was considering joining a Protestant congregation. So much for that idea.

Fine by me, though. The Christians have failed you on immigration, my friends. Most Jews are Democrats, so they’re a non-starter. There’s only one safe option left for true blue border-enforcin’ conservatives. Come to daddy.

The group, which includes influential political activists such as Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy wing, and Mathew Staver, dean of the Liberty University School of Law, will soon begin lobbying Republican leaders in Washington to support comprehensive immigration reform under President Obama…

“After securing our borders, we must allow the millions of undocumented and otherwise law-abiding persons living in our midst to come out of the shadows,” reads a recent draft of the document, which is still being finalized. “The pathway for earned legal citizenship or temporary residency should involve a program of legalization for undocumented persons in the United States…”

Many evangelicals say their push for immigration reform is biblically based, citing passages urging respect for civil laws and concern for migrants and the vulnerable.

“Discussion of immigration and government immigration policy must begin with the truth that every human being is made in the image of God,” the National Association of Evangelicals said in a recent resolution backing comprehensive immigration reform. “… Jesus exemplifies respect toward others who are different in his treatment of the Samaritans.”

They’re adamant that their plan isn’t amnesty, of course, because it’ll require illegals to pay fines and maybe take a civics class and face various other symbolic penalties designed purely and simply to give the sponsors a fig leaf not to call this amnesty. A few questions for these Good Samaritans: Why support comprehensive reform instead of a pure amnesty with open borders? If it’s a simple matter of every human having been made in the image of God, there’s no obvious reason to keep illegals out. Just get rid of the violent criminals and let in everyone who wants to come in. Also, does the fact that the vast majority of illegals come from a devoutly Christian country affect the calculus here?

Tangential exit question: Whose comment is more obnoxious, Reid calling the GOP an “anti-immigrant party” (we’re already the “anti-American” party, remember) or Schwarzenegger tee-heeing at the idea that Arizona would deport him for having an accent?