It is becoming increasingly difficult for Christian churches to remain indifferent to the immigration issue. On one side, some advocate for the biblical mandate to care for the foreigner; on the other, there's the Christian nationalist movement that downplays compassion and emphasizes restrictive immigration laws. With the change in administration, the church's stance will be crucial, as these places of worship must confront the question: What should they do if immigration agents show up at their doors?
One of the first official actions of Donald Trump’s administration was to establish that immigration authorities could now enter schools, healthcare centers, and churches to make arrests.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in the schools and churches of the United States to avoid arrest. The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement officers, instead trusting them to use common sense,” said Benjamine Huffman, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Why Should Churches Address This Issue?
In part, because undocumented immigrants or individuals connected to them are likely among their congregants.
After decades of declining membership, many churches in the U.S. are sustaining or growing, largely due to the Latino community. For instance, by 2030, it is projected that half of the entire Latino population in the country will identify as evangelical Protestants. In contrast, membership in white evangelical Protestant churches has declined from 23% of the population in 2006 to 14% in 2020, according to the Census.
Should a Church Disobey the Authorities?
It’s important to distinguish between two different concepts: legality and justice. The phrase, “An unjust law is not a law,” is an aphorism used in jurisprudence, originating with Saint Augustine. It has been cited by various religious figures, from Thomas Aquinas to Martin Luther King Jr. The latter referenced it during the Civil Rights Movement to denounce racial segregation and discrimination, which at the time was legal.
Setting aside civil disobedience, if an immigration officer arrives at a church, are there alternatives to protect congregants? The answer is yes.
Request to See the Warrant
If an agent shows up at your church with a search warrant, the first thing you should do is ask them to hold it up to the window or slide it under the door.
Verify Its Validity
If the warrant has an incorrect address or name, you can politely ask the agent to leave. If the information on the warrant is incorrect, or it has expired, the agents do not have the right to enter.
Check Its Scope
Search warrants do not give agents the power to do whatever they want or enter every area. They may be restricted to a certain part of the church, such as the parking lot. They do not have the right to enter any other building not mentioned in the warrant.
Churches in North Carolina Vs. Immigration
This is not the first time churches have played a significant role in this discussion. In 2018, North Carolina had the highest number of immigrant refugees in church sanctuaries in the entire country, according to Church World Services.
According to the report titled “Sanctuary in the Trump Era,” out of the 36 immigrants in sanctuary at that time, five remained in churches in North Carolina.
Today, can churches afford to remain indifferent on this issue?
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in,” Matthew 25:35 (KJV).
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