Faith and Immigration: Christian Groups Navigate Policy Tensions

Christian organizations across the U.S. are confronting a growing divide between their religious values and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. While many evangelicals support Trump politically, faith-based groups are increasingly urging a reconsideration of strict enforcement measures. The tension underscores a larger question: how can Christians align their political choices with theological principles that emphasize

compassion and welcoming the stranger?

According to World Relief, 70% of evangelicals believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to accept refugees. This belief is rooted in Scripture, from Old Testament commands to love the foreigner, to Jesus’s teachings on welcoming strangers. For many Christians, immigration isn’t just policy, it’s a test of faith in action.

Evangelical organizations that run refugee programs are struggling to balance their longstanding conservative ties with a commitment to humanitarian work. They argue that religious freedom includes the right to serve displaced people, even if doing so clashes with current enforcement priorities.

Churches often serve as lifelines for immigrant families, offering support from language classes to legal help. That personal connection has prompted some Christian leaders to advocate for immigration approaches that balance safety with compassion.

Christian groups are seeking policy solutions that respect both their values and their political relationships—such as protecting religious humanitarian work and accounting for family ties in enforcement. The bigger question remains: Can U.S. immigration policy reflect the faith-driven call to welcome and care for the vulnerable?