A new study by UNLV’s Lied Center for Real Estate found that only 6.1 percent of all jobs in Southern Nevada pay enough to afford to buy a home in Las Vegas. To be able to afford the average mortgage payment, you need to make at least $57.22 an hour.

SB188 SIGNED into law!

Now, health care providers must offer free language assistance to patients with limited English proficiency.

Everyone deserves to fully understand their care.

Everyone should be able to make informed health decisions in a clear and timely matter!

This is a huge step towards a more inclusive healthcare access for all Nevadans!

This resource includes a brief history of immigration detention and its privatization, a review of Lutheran social teaching on private detention and immigration, a Bible study, and several action steps that people can take, including advocacy and removing their investments from detention companies. It’s intended as a “101” resource for churches and groups newer to the topic.

The social message on “Immigration” presents basic themes for discernment on questions of immigration that our society is facing. It draws from Scripture and the experience of Lutherans in America as an immigrant church in a country of immigrants. The basic themes are grounded in the call to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35) together with the commitment to justice that advocates for fair and generous laws.

The message calls for the church to be a welcoming place and points out that immigration, refugee and asylum policies express who we are as a nation and influence the nation’s future character. It focuses on questions for discussion and discernment such as pathways to citizenship, newcomers without legal status and the border with Mexico. The message should be read in conjunction with “Toward Compassionate, Just, and Wise Immigration Reform,” a 2009 ELCA social policy resolution on immigration that governs how the ELCA publicly addresses contemporary questions about immigration policy reform.

The adoption of this message preceded the ELCA’s adoption (at the 2016 Churchwide Assembly) of the AMMPARO Strategy to Accompany Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities. The current online wording from 1998, then, does not contain any reference to that strategy and the many opportunities it provides for congregational and synodical involvement. For more information about the AMMPARO strategy and these opportunities, please visit http://www.elca.org/ammparo or contact AMMPARO staff Mary B. Campbell, Program Director, and the Program Director for Migration Policy.

You can read or download the full social message on “Immigration” in English or en español. This social message was adopted in 1998 by the Church Council of the ELCA.

Nevada is a state shaped by migration. From Indigenous nations stewarding this land since time immemorial, to immigrant workers building our hospitality, mining, agriculture, healthcare, and construction industries, our story is one of movement, resilience, and hope.

For Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada, immigration and migration are not abstract political issues. They are about neighbors, congregants, coworkers, and families.

Nevada by the Numbers

• Roughly 1 in 5 Nevadans is foreign-born, one of the highest percentages in the country.
• Immigrant workers are essential in tourism, agriculture, construction, and service industries.
• Mixed-status families are common across Clark, Washoe, and rural counties.
• Undocumented Nevadans contribute millions annually in state and local taxes.

Immigration policy directly affects Nevada’s economy, workforce stability, schools, and faith communities.

Grounded in Lutheran Theology

Our advocacy is rooted in:

• Scripture: “You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers…” (Deut. 10:19)
• Baptismal vocation: We are called to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
• The ELCA social message Immigration (2009) and related social teaching affirming human dignity, family unity, and humane reform.

Migration is not new to the Bible. Abraham migrated. The Israelites fled oppression. Jesus was a refugee in Egypt. The early church crossed borders of language and culture.

Current Nevada Focus Areas

LEAN’s immigration advocacy has included:

Healthcare Access

Supporting expanded state-funded healthcare access for undocumented children and working toward coverage for undocumented seniors.

Sensitive Locations & Family Stability

Protecting schools, houses of worship, and healthcare facilities from immigration enforcement actions that create fear and instability.

Protections for Immigrant Children

Advocating for policies that ensure children can access education, healthcare, and safety regardless of status.

Workforce & Economic Stability

Recognizing that Nevada’s economy depends on immigrant labor and pushing back against policies that destabilize families and industries.

What Congregations Can Do

• Host a Know Your Rights workshop in partnership with trusted legal organizations.
• Preach and teach on biblical migration stories, or use the LEAN Immigration Curriculum.
• Advocate with LEAN during the legislative session.
• Accompany immigrant neighbors through court dates or check-ins.
• Build relationships across language and cultural lines.

Why This Matters in Nevada

In a state largely composed of immigrants, whether recent arrivals or multi-generational families, migration is part of our shared story.

As Lutherans, we confess that every person is created in the image of God. Public policy must reflect that truth.

Immigration is not just a policy debate.
It is a question of dignity.
It is a question of family unity.
It is a question of who belongs.