8 Things Christians Can Say and Do Concerning the Illegal Immigration and Deportation Situation

There is a lot of confusing messaging and big emotions right now surrounding the discussion about illegal immigration and deportation. It's complex discussion with a lot of moving parts. Even so, I wanted to at least try to put together a list of broad principles to help steer Christian thinking. While Christians are citizens of the Kingdom of God first (Philippians 1:27; 3:20-21), we must also figure out how to live in our earthly nation and conduct ourselves according to biblical principles (Matt. 22:21; 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. 2:2). But that's not always easy. Here are eight things that I think Christians can say and do to respond to the current situation.

1. Christians should affirm the historic biblical truth that humans are created in the image of God. As such they have inherent value, dignity and worth. It doesn't automatically follow, however, that it is unjust for countries to have and maintain borders. That said, Christians can certainly civilly discuss and debate what qualifies as humane treatment for illegal immigrants as they are in the process of being deported, but that discussion needs to be based on solid evidence confirmed by multiple witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19) not social media memes and internet rumors.

   
   

2. Christians can say that America has historically benefited from immigrants and that they have played a big role in the building and achievements of our nation. Acknowledging that reality, however, isn’t in conflict with the value of having secure borders and knowing whether those who are coming into our nation might be a security risk. One of the most important tasks of the government, according to the Bible, is to protect the innocent and punish the guilty (Rom. 13:1-5). I would put the task of fairly and impartially vetting immigrants into this category, as well as the need to protect the vulnerable from exploitation like human trafficking.

3. Christians should acknowledge that illegal entry into the United States violates federal law (specifically, 8 U.S.C. § 1325). It is a federal misdemeanor to enter (or attempt to enter) the U.S. at any place other than a designated port of entry, or to elude examination or inspection by immigration officers. Subsequent violations can be felonies. Previously deported individuals who re-enter the country illegally are committing a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison (or more if the individual has a certain criminal history). Most countries, even Mexico, have laws that they enforce related to immigration––both legal and illegal. There is nothing inherently unjust or unbiblical about a country having borders and deporting those who have entered illegally. Now, could a country have unjust laws related to immigration? Sure. But that would need to be proven according to biblical principles. And simple border enforcement doesn’t seem to inherently fall into that category.

4. Christians should obey the government (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17), except in rare cases where there is a direct conflict with a clear biblical principle (Exodus 1:15-18; Daniel 3:19-27; Acts 4:18-20). For example, even though I hate paying taxes and I think the government wastes a lot of my money on fraud and policies that violate my principles, as a Christian, I still have a default obligation to obey the law. Even if I don’t like the laws or agree with them, I have a general responsibility as a Christian to obey them.

5. Christians should express compassion for immigrants living as a minority in a foreign land and culture. After all, one of the pictures of what it’s like to be a Christian is as a foreigner living in a foreign land (Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 2:11). We can extend friendship to someone who lives illegally in our country, share the Gospel with them, share resources that God has blessed us with (Matt. 25:35), and listen to their story of why they came to our country to try and have a better life, while also encouraging that person to pursue legal status and asking them how you can support them in that endeavor.

6. Christians who live in our country illegally should repent from breaking our nation’s laws and do what they can to transition themselves to becoming a legal resident as quickly as possible, whether that’s through getting a work visa, applying for asylum status, green card, etc. This will likely involve a lengthy and complicated, and probably expensive, process, but taking responsibility for one's choices and working to bring oneself into compliance with the law honors God. These Christians could also consider using the CBP Home app to participate in the current effort to self-deport and then re-apply to come here legally (if they want to return). Taking initiative this way could provide a pathway to keep minor children with their parents.

7. Christian employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants need to repent and acknowledge that they are breaking the law and begin to transition their business to come into compliance with state and federal labor laws. Christians who have hired someone who is in the country illegally to work in their home also need to repent of breaking the law and figure out how they will conform to the law. Employers who hire illegal immigrants often do so because they are able to pay below market wages, avoid compliance with labor laws which protect workers, which in turn makes immigrants more vulnerable to being taken advantage of (Lev. 19:33-34).

8. Christians who believe that immigration laws ought to be changed because they are unfair or unjust can organize and try to change those laws through legal channels, such as elections and ballot propositions. In my opinion, we need increased public discussions about a number of issues related to the complications surrounding legal immigration and its impact on American labor and social programs. There are also significant issues to debate concerning the parameters of birth-right citizenship.

One of the difficulties with our current reality is that our government has engaged in unjust behavior for so long by not consistently and impartially enforcing its border laws that it has created a climate where people think it’s normal to break the law or that they are even entitled to do it. The government has also caused considerable confusion by changing the standards and even incentivizing illegal border crossings through social programs. Straightening this out is going to be difficult and there will be a real human cost. To be honest, I think it is going to be a mess for a while, and painful at times as members of the same family may not share the same resident status.

Continue to watch for more content related to the discussion about immigration, both from a biblical and critical theory perspective. Make sure you are subscribed to our weekly digital newsletter so you won’t miss anything. 

Further discussion:

Truth Over Turmoil: Thinking Biblically about the ICE Protests | Family Meeting | 6/12/25

2 Presidents, 2 Approaches to Border & Immigration || 3/22/25 || #202

Booklet: "Wise Welcome" by Dr. James Hoffmeier