In rare joint statement, evangelicals and Catholic bishops urge compassionate immigration laws

[u/CutSenior4977]

https://religionnews.com/2026/10/15/evangelicals-and-catholic-bishops-says-compassion-and-wisdoms-should-shape-immigration-laws/

[u/General_Cantaloupe71]

Galen Carey, vice-president of government relations for the NAE, said evangelicals and Catholics have both been harmed by the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Leaders of both groups have worked together before on immigration reform — last year they collaborated on a report about how mass deportation affects American Christians. That found that 1 in 12 Christians in the U.S. could face deportation or have a family member at risk of being deported.

They won't be considered the right type of Christian. There needs to be more than protests.

[u/Interesting-Face22 → u/General_Cantaloupe71]

All I can say is, “aww, does someone have buyer’s remorse?”

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/General_Cantaloupe71]

We could change laws and take a lot of people out of the shadows, That said, that does not give people who entered the country illegally, the right to use fake IDs, or to work, or to give false information so they can open a bank account, rent an apartment, or buy a car - if they used false ID to do any of those things that was a felony.

[u/SanguineHerald → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

Which is why the admin is targeting legal immigrants and suspending legal status.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/SanguineHerald]

If someone has overstayed their visa, they are not in the country legally. If you want to argue that we need more immigration courts or need to allow in fewer immigrants so those courts are not over run that's a fair discussion, however to claim that someone doesn't have to comply with the court is not a valid discussion.

[u/SanguineHerald → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

Thats not what I said. The Trump admin has revoked the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people in order to deport them.

https://refugeerights.org/news-resources/trump-administration-lays-groundwork-for-mass-deportation-of-resettled-refugees

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/08/12/second-trump-administration-has-ended-temporary-protected-status-for-most-immigrants-who-had-it/

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/SanguineHerald]

You have misrepresented what the Trump administration is doing. That's dishonest. They have reduced the period of time for appeals. That's different than your claim.

[u/ceddya → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

So they entered the country legally and had their legal status revoked before they could have their cases heard. It's cruel. What is misrepresented?

You know what's worse? Trump deporting Christians who fled persecution in their home countries and even going so far as to give their information to the governments persecuting them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/07/15/iranian-christians-allege-us-gave-tehran-details-asylum-claims/

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/ceddya]

If you want to argue that immigration courts should be increased. I'll listen. If you want to argue that we should reduce the number of immigrants allowed in each year so the courts won't be overloaded, I'll listen, but you are saying that those whose visas have expired have a right to stay - and they do not. The law applies to them.

[u/ceddya → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

I'll listen

Do you know the Trump administration has fired over a hundred immigration judges and defunded your immigration court system? Go criticize that instead.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/immigration-judge-says-trump-administrations-firings-and-policies-are-disheartening

but you are saying that those whose visas have expired have a right to stay - and they do not. The law applies to them.

But that's not what happened with Trump ending TPS, is it? You have misrepresented what the Trump administration is doing.

They came here legally, they've been waiting to access an already underfunded (no prizes for guessing which side is the reason for that) system, Trump then made the delays far worse and then ended their protections before they can have their cases heard.

Please explain how that's the justice we're told to grant the foreigner. Do the same with what Trump has done to Iranian Christians.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-journal-of-international-law/article/trump-administrations-unprecedented-violations-of-the-nonrefoulement-principle/1B0390AEC35208D96A0CD470EA2469A4

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/ceddya]

I keep challenging the immoral left to explain how any adult unlawful entrant can remain in this country working and it not be an ongoing sin. None of you will be honest about that. It is very telling.

They came here legally, they've been waiting to access an already underfunded (no prizes for guessing which side is the reason for that) system, 

I would imagine that Biden allowing 12 million people into the country illegally clogged up the court. But you seem to not be honest about that.

If Trump has violated the law, it is quite appropriate to point that out and to defend people who are here legally. What I don't see is the other side willing to admit that it is both a sin and a felony to steal someone's ID and use it to work illegally or to falsely claim you are someone you are not to obtain an apartment, banking account, or car.

Christians who can't be honest and admit sin is sin are not team Jesus - they be Team Republican or Team Democrat, but they aren't Team jesus.

[u/SanguineHerald → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

Evidently you don't want to listen. Trump is ending legal status. They followed the law. They played by the rules, and Trump is going to deport them because it plays well with his base (in this case you) to be cruel to brown people.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/SanguineHerald]

What changed was the amount of time for the appeal process, not the overall process.

[u/gnurdette → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

• Daily State of Play: Trump’s Indefinite Refugee Ban and Funding Halt
• Trump Wants to Deport Legal Migrants in Ohio Back to Haiti
• Flights canceled for refugees who were slated to travel to US
• The Indefinite Suspension of All Refugees Is Unjustified
• U.S. to revoke legal status of more than a half-million migrants, urges them to self deport
• Iranian asylum-seekers were detained in Los Angeles, adding to the count of church members taken despite lawful status.
• More Than 170 US Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents, Some Abused or Detained for Days
• These Are the Students Targeted by Trump’s Immigration Enforcement Over Campus Activism
• ‘I felt hopeless’: Hmong refugee stranded in Texas after release from ICE detention
• ICE has jailed people illegally more than 4,400 times, data shows
• Woman Charged After Joining Anti-ICE Teen Group Chat
• Head of ICE summoned for contempt
• How ICE defies judges’ orders to release detainees, step by step
• ‘I felt hopeless’: Hmong refugee stranded in Texas after release from ICE detention
• ICE detained, imprisoned and even after release are harassing a Christian woman who is in the US legally.
• ‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
• Stephen Miller says 'America's doors are closed fully to asylum seekers'

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/gnurdette]

I keep asking this question and the left refuses to answer: how can can an adult who is working in the country illegally continue what they are doing and it not be an intentional sin? How can someone steal another's ID and it not be a sin? How can someone lie while using that false ID to rent an apartment, open a bank account, or buy a car and it not be a sin, as well as a felony?

Why don't you answer my questions for once?

[u/adamesandtheworld → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

For someone who misapplies whataboutism all the damn time, this comment is a perfect example of it.

Why don't you answer my questions for once?

There is no question in the post that was being replied to.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/adamesandtheworld]

My whole thread has been asking the question how can an adult who is in the country illegally working not be intentionally living in an ongoing state of sin in doing so. I'm still waiting for someone with the intellectual honesty to address that question to step up.

[u/adamesandtheworld → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

https://old.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/1x8kopd/in_rare_joint_statement_evangelicals_and_catholic/phe1u8v/?context=5

Here is the thread with all the context.

My whole thread has been asking the question

There is no question here. You didn't ask a question, then decided to refuse to address gnurdette's comment while getting indignant that gnurdette did not answer a question you never asked.

[u/ceddya → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

or to work

Americans don't have the right to exploit their labour and benefit off their exploitation, yet I don't see any principled stance from those decrying these immigrants to boycott the companies exploiting such workers. Odd.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/ceddya]

LOL. ICE is raiding these law breaking companies. Not only arresting those working illegally, but the companies that knowingly hired them.

[u/ceddya → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

ICE is raiding these law breaking companies.

LOL. Not even on the same scale as they've gone after the workers.

But why deflect? You can't argue that they have no right to work all while willfully choosing to benefit off their work. That includes the vast majority of agriculture and construction in the US. Take a principled stand, won't you?

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/ceddya]

Are there more illegal workers or companies hiring illegal workers??? Your comment fails.

I am supportive of making companies that knowingly employ illegal labor pay for their crimes. Why wouldn't I be? You act like I'm a leftist who defends sin if he thinks one of his own committed it.

[u/ceddya → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

You're free to give examples of more than a handful of companies which have been fined. You can't? Oh, good try though.

Still deflecting? You benefit off their exploited labour by having access to cheaper food and construction. If you believe they have no right to work, you'd take a principled stand and not consume the fruits of that labour.

But the fact remains that you do because, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, undocumented labour is needed to plug shortages. More importantly, it serves a massive benefit to you.

So when you talk about changing laws? One of that would be to create pathways for those already in the country and who are working instead of threatening them with mass deportation. That's the justice the Bible tells us to give the foreigner.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/ceddya]

There would be a higher food cost - but not as much as you think.

Further illegal labor costs the lowest skilled legal workers about $2,000 a year according to the Obama administration in lost wages, benefits, and negotiating power. Tell me, how is it fair to take $2,000 out of a legal workers pockets each year because you'd rather pay someone under the table illegally?

It is sad how so many people will rationalize sin.

[u/ceddya → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

There would be a higher food cost - but not as much as you think.

Based on?

Tell me, how is it fair to take $2,000 out of a legal workers pockets each year because you'd rather pay someone under the table illegally?

I don't, that's why I support legal pathways for undocumented workers who are working and contributing. Less exploitation, less labour shortages aka a win-win.

Where's the sin exactly? It is sad how so many people will ignore the core tenets of the religion when it comes to the foreigner.

Why keep deflecting though? You can simply purchase food that's not produced by undocumented immigrants. Why don't you?

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/ceddya]

The best recent research I found estimates that removing 50% of unauthorized immigrants would raise prices in farming-intensive sectors by about 1% relative to the average consumer price basket. See National Bureau of Economic Research (2026) — The Economic Impact of Mass Deportations

Also see Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics (May 2026) — Effects of Mass Deportation of Undocumented Workers on the US Agrifood Sector and Economy

Personally I think full removal of illegal labor would result in 10-20% increases. A lot of costs are hard and would not change.

Where's the sin exactly? It is sad how so many people will ignore the core tenets of the religion when it comes to the foreigner.

I know. Look at you ignoring what God said about the foreigner. He said that they must follow the laws of the land they are in. Yet, you have ignored that

Leviticus 24:22 (ESV) - “You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the LORD your God.”

Numbers 15:15–16 (ESV) -“For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

[u/General_Cantaloupe71 → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

Ah yes, the invisible bogeyman we need to root out rather than the rich who are pillaging our pockets visibly where there is no consequences for their crimes.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/General_Cantaloupe71]

So if your political party says it isn't a sin to sin, that makes it OK to sin??? Address the question - how can an adult claiming to be following Christ remain illegally in this country knowing it is a sin for them to work, to use false ID, or to lie about their ID, legal status, or actual legal address?

[u/General_Cantaloupe71 → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

Political parties have no sway on what is and isn't a sin. Just because something is legal/illegal does not make it moral/immoral. You know that. Sounds like your church is The State.

Addressing the question: easy, just the same as every other adult who claims to be Christian. Y'all are sinners saved or unsaved.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/General_Cantaloupe71]

Lying is not a sin??? Bearing false witness is not a sin??? Disobeying the laws of the land as Paul commanded in Romans is not a sin??

Every adult unlawful entrant who is working in the US is knowingly committing a crime. If they obtained an illegal greed card or SS ID they committed a crime. If they used that false ID to rent an apartment, buy a car, or open a bank account they committed the felonies of fraud, forgery, and perjury. So illegal immigration is not just about crime, it is also about sin.

[u/General_Cantaloupe71 → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

I'm not going to agree with an authoritarian mindset

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/General_Cantaloupe71]

I don't care if you agree with Trump or not. Lying is sin is it not? Is it not bearing false witness to obtain a fake ID and then to use it to represent yourself in a false way?

[u/General_Cantaloupe71 → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

You gotta prove their are guilty first.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/General_Cantaloupe71]

The felonies routinely committed by those in the country illegally are generally not prosecuted - that is true - either because they aren't known about, or because removing the person from the country makes it hard to prosecute, or because it would clog up the courts. That is true. however, lets not pretend they aren't felonies, and that they aren't sins.

[u/Mordecai_Gist]

Psalm 133

[u/Eunuchs_Intrigues]

Please have compassion for us and don't expect us to France ourselves out of compassion.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/Eunuchs_Intrigues]

Why aren't those who entered illegally not challenged to stop their sinning. Most adult illegal immigrants have opened illegal ID and have used it to apply for a job, rent an apartment, buy a car, or open a bank account. All of those actions are felonies. Any unlawful entrant who is working in this country is breaking the law. That's a sin. I don't understand why some sins are ignored.

[u/Christianity-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Removed for 1.3 - Bigotry.

If you would like to discuss this removal, please click here to send a modmail that will message all moderators. https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/Christianity

[u/True_Hunter_9684]

Nice try. We know how you voted last time Griftians.

[u/General_Cantaloupe71 → u/[deleted]]

Remigration is a far-right concept referring to the ethnic cleansing via mass deportation of non-white minority populations, especially immigrants and sometimes including native-born citizens, to their place of racial ancestry.

Once relegated to neo-Nazi and white supremacist circles, remigration has moved into mainstream far-right politics in Europe and, by 2025, into official rhetoric and policy planning in the United States.

[u/ConstantBad6542]

There are two people inside every Christian. One is the flesh which belongs entirely to the physical world. The flesh is obsessed with earthly resources, tribalism, nationalism and building walls to protect its comfort. As Galatians 5:17 says the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other.

Then there is the spirit which seeks only God. The spirit knows that earthly nations, borders and legal statuses mean absolutely nothing in eternity. Colossians 3:11 explicitly tells us that in Christ there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision, bond nor free but Christ is all and in all.

When people get consumed by hatred over illegal immigration they are letting the physical man win. They are letting their fear of losing earthly resources choke out the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5 warns us that hatred, wrath and strife are the works of the flesh and Romans 8:6 says to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

We need to remember that this physical world does not belong to us or our governments anyway. Psalm 24:1 states clearly that the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein.

If you care more about protecting a physical border than you do about the state of a human soul you are walking in the flesh. Our true citizenship is not defined by human lines on a map. Philippians 3:20 reminds us that our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour. You cannot serve both the kingdom of God and the borders of man.

Honestly if your primary goal in life is ethnonationalism and protecting tribal borders other religions might be much easier for you. Old European ethnic paganisms like Old Norse Odinism or Asatru are built entirely around blood, soil, ancestry and fighting for physical territory. Christianity is inherently universal and borderless. If you want a religion of walls and tribal superiority you are following the wrong book.

I follow Christ to die and be raised up again, I hope if I am worthy enough.

[u/manliness-dot-space]

Go tell France

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

There are many laws that can be adjusted to address the plight of those who have entered the country illegally.

Many churches, particularly catholic churches have not spoken out on the fact that you can not be an adult who has entered the country illegally and be living a God honoring life. Even LaRaza claims that 75% of adult unlawful entrants have obtained an illegal green card or SS ID. And then have used that illegal ID to have either applied for a job that uses e-Verify, or rented an apartment, or gave that false address for a child's school or opened a bank account, or bought a car. These are all felonies of fraud, forgery, or perjury. If someone is in the country illegally, they can not legally have a job.

Some churches will talk about what the government is doing wrong, but will ignore the sins of its own attenders who are committing these felony crimes. Christianity demands that we are fair to all sides and call out all sins.

[u/corndog_thrower → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

Any thoughts about empathy or helping people? Or is that all irrelevant because of a bunch of legal stuff? It just seems like a stupid place to put your priorities and it seems like placing such importance on laws being followed so strictly only happens when it comes to these people. It’s like compassion is only extended to certain people for certain transgressions, but if you’re a brown person that used a fake address, you deserve to have your life destroyed.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/corndog_thrower]

Does legal stuff matter? It does. I would love to see work visas given out that would not allow someone to be a citizen but work legally.

Is working illegally a crime? Is stealing someone's ID a crime? Is using a fake ID a crime? it is - its a felony. The ugly secret about illegal immigration is that you can't be an adult in the country illegally who is working and not be intentionally sinning.

Does compassion demand that we tell someone that they are sinning? Yes it does.

[u/corndog_thrower → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

It’s great that you know what a felony is and that’s really important to you, we just have different priorities. It’s more important to me that people are happy/healthy/safe. Whether you have the time and money to file all the correct paperwork matters a lot less to me, especially when the immigration process is as difficult as it is.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/corndog_thrower]

So felonies don't matter to you?? Good to know.

If you don't like the process advocate for it to change, but to argue that if you don't like the process then its OK to commit felonies is not acceptable.

[u/corndog_thrower → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

>So felonies don't matter to you?? Good to know.

They can be. The law doesn’t dictate my morals.

>If you don't like the process advocate for it to change

I do.

>but to argue that if you don't like the process then it’s OK to commit felonies is not acceptable.

I’m arguing that it’s ok to break certain rules to feed your family. You obviously disagree.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/corndog_thrower]

Can't you feed your family by working legally in your home country? The argument that "I had to enter a country illegally, steal a fake ID, lie about who I was and commit numerous felonies using it" is a lie. Each was a choice to disobey God and His word.

[u/corndog_thrower → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

>Can't you feed your family by working legally in your home country?

Literally no. Not always. 😂😂 you’ve got a lot to learn about how the world works. You have no problem telling these people to leave but you clearly have no fucking clue what “sending them back” would actually mean for their lives. Clean water, food, housing, healthcare, education, and safety isn’t abundantly available in A LOT of places. It’s clear that you don’t care about that though, because they broke the precious rules.

[u/Cod_North → u/corndog_thrower]

I sincerely hope he never has to make the choice between law breaking and literal survival. i.e food, water and shelter.

[u/Able_Scarcity_2622 → u/Cod_North]

Explain to me how working illegally in the US and using false IDs is not sin.  Why is it just to bear false witness and to disobey the laws of the land?  The fact that some can't be honest and call sin sin is a shame and exposes their true God- politics.

[u/manliness-dot-space → u/Able_Scarcity_2622]

What about the plight of the rest of us who have been swarmed by foreigners?