Abraham was an immigrant

Abram, later Abraham, is introduced in Genesis 11 as an immigrant from Ur to Haran. Abram’s Journeys did not stop there: this Ur-born immigrant later journeyed to Canaan, with a stay in Egypt as well. Abram’s decision to leave Haran and bring his family to Canaan parallels the stories of many historical and contemporary immigrants who leave the land they know and cross borders in pursuit of a promise — in this case a divine promise that God would bless him, make of him a great nation, and bless all nations to him (Genesis 12:1-5). Indeed, a Abram’s courage and making the journey and his faith in God’s promise mark one of the pivotal moments in the Old Testament narrative.

From Welcoming the Stranger, by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang, revised edition, page 86

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