For Such a Time as This: How Should the Church Respond to U.S. Immigration Policy and Practices in Our Present Moment?

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14)

In January, I was asked to facilitate a session on the question: What should the Church’s response be to U.S. Immigration Policy in 2026? In this article, I want to share some of what I shared in that session, along with some additional reflections.   

Let me begin by underscoring three points, which are largely interwoven. 

1. This is not merely a political question; it is also a human one.  
2. This is not merely a political question; it is also a theological one.  
3. This is not merely a political question; it is also a missiological one.  

A Human Issue 

We begin by reminding ourselves that the question of immigration is not merely an abstract political issue to be debated but a deeply human one with real-life consequences. (1)

To underscore this, I want to share a text I recently received from an immigrant friend with a pending asylum case. With their permission, I share a portion of that text to humanize this issue. 

With events unfolding in uncertain ways, may you please not only keep us in your prayers but also check on us periodically, because if anyone is not safe anymore, we’re also exposed and vulnerable, with our asylum interview stretched into the unknown future. The level of violence I’ve seen online involving ICE reminds me of the day the ruling party youth and former war veterans came chanting at my house at the rural school to beat, destroy property, and harm me. It reminds me of the day a provincial governor singled me out because of my race and told the people to get rid of the enemy and anyone like me, because I was a living reminder of what they hate. It reminds me of an ambassador from my country and the ruling army that threatened me while I was doing humanitarian and peacebuilding work because the ruling party deemed me an enemy of the state. At no time did I ever think state-sanctioned political violence could become global and find me here in the U.S. 

Keep us in your prayers, and please check on us. We are rattled and shaken but not dismayed. Dealing with the dynamic, evolving policies is overwhelming because they’re erratic, and we have no idea exactly what’s changing when the rules of the game are the one thing that’s inconsistent.

My text last night reflects my human fear, not my faith, for I’m aware that God’s will endures. Thank you for caring for us. Shalom.

Now, multiply this text by millions, and one begins to come to terms with the human stakes at play.

A Theological Issue

Next, we need to understand that the questions surrounding immigration are not merely political but also deeply theological. This fact is sometimes lost or overlooked in our public discourse, and even, many times, among Christians. 

Public theology is theological reflection that participates in public discourse for the common good. Public theology provides a framework for Christian social ethics and serves as a bridge between theology and public discourse. While a (relatively) recent named discipline, the Church has practiced public theology throughout the ages; it was formally named in 1974 and has since developed into a recognized discipline. (2) 

As it pertains to the topic of this article, a private theology question would be: What does the Bible teach about loving neighbors? Whereas, a public theology question would be: How should a society structure immigration policy in light of human dignity and neighbor-love?

A Missiological Issue

We also need to remind ourselves that this is not merely a political issue but also a missiological one. This, too, is often missed or quickly glossed over by many Christians who are often sucked into debating immigration policy in the same rancorous, polarized way so common in our day. This debate is often devoid of meaningful theological reflection and consideration of the Missio Dei, the Mission of God.  

In my 2001 thesis project, I outlined what I referred to as “A systemic theology of diaspora (refugee and immigrant) ministry and mission.” (3) In that paper, I offered four interrelated theological points that build upon one another. 

1. God, as part of His overall work of advancing His Kingdom, has always had a clear design on redeeming people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Gen. 12:1-3; Matt. 24:14; Acts 1:8; Rom. 16:25-27; Rev. 5:9).   
2. In the New Testament, God’s design for advancing His Kingdom includes creating and using a multi-ethnic community called “the Church” where Christ-centered unity is fleshed out amid cultural diversity (Rom. 10:12; I Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:11-20, 3:6; Col. 3:11).   
3. God’s means of accomplishing His redemptive plan among all peoples of the earth has always included the strategic use of diaspora peoples (Gen. 12:1-3; Ruth; Esther; Jeremiah 29:4-7; Acts 8:1,4; 11:19; 13; Acts 17:26-27; James 1:1; I Peter 1:1; Rev. 1:9; 21, 22). 
4. God’s means of carrying out His redemption plan, and thus advancing His Kingdom rule on the earth, has always included the mandate to His people to offer hospitality and service to the “aliens” and “strangers” among them (Ex. 23:9; Lev. 19:33-34; Deut. 10: 17-19; 26:1-13; Matt. 25:31-46). 

When I present this theology in a lecture or sermon, I often pause after each point and ask, “Have you ever heard this point preached?” 

For many Christians, they immediately answer “yes” to the first two points (though point #2 is often a more theoretical “yes” than a regularly experienced one). But at points three and four, the “yeses” become dramatically fewer.

For point #3, many Christians miss the golden thread throughout Scripture: God always used diaspora people for his redemptive purposes. Sometimes this movement was voluntary, like when Ruth followed her mother-in-law, Naomi, from Moab back to Bethlehem. Or when Abram followed God’s call to go to a land he did not know (Genesis 12). In both cases, there was divine purpose in the moves. 

In other cases, the movement was involuntary, like when the Jews were carried into exile to Babylon. Or when there was a persecution of Christ followers in Jerusalem and Christians were scattered near and far. Or when the last diaspora saint was exiled to the Isle of Patmos.

In all of these cases, God had redemptive purposes in mind to use his diaspora people to bless their new communities (Jeremiah 29:4-7), to advance the Gospel (Acts 8:1-4), and to apprehend and testify to his heavenly vision (Revelation 1:9; 21).

If God has always used diaspora people to accomplish his will, it is imperative that we adopt this perspective as our mental model for any consideration of refugees, immigrants, and human migration. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. 

Similarly, in point #4, the mandate for God’s people to practice hospitality to foreigners and strangers is often overlooked as a core practice of our modern Christian discipleship. This mandate is another golden thread interwoven throughout the corpus of Scripture. God’s people were commanded time and again to attend to the orphans, widows, and strangers (foreigners). In the OT, the command to attend to foreigners was repeatedly linked to the memory of when God’s people were foreigners in Egypt (Exodus 22:21; 23:9).

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, you shall not oppress the foreigner. The foreigner residing among you shall be as the native-born among you; you shall love the foreigner as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

In the NT, this command is reinforced in the parable of the Sheep and Goats. 

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:31-46).

So, from a Christian perspective, before we jump to any consideration of our modern immigration policy in the U.S., we must root ourselves deeply in our ancient calling to love the foreigner and alien among us. How are we doing with this task? 

Is our impulse to build walls or to build bridges to the foreigner and alien among us? How are our discipleship muscles performing in loving people who are culturally or religiously different than us? Have we befriended refugees and immigrants as an expression of our higher citizenship to the Kingdom of God? This must be our starting point for any discussion on policy and practices related to diaspora people. 

From the four interconnected theological statements outlined above, we can comprehend and cooperate with what God is doing on the earth today in sending the nations to our doorstep. Systemically speaking, when statements two, three, and four are practiced, statement one is advanced. On the other hand, when statements two, three, and four are not practiced, statement one is inhibited and delayed. It is important to underscore that the omission or neglect of any one of the last three statements will impede the realization of the first statement.   

With these three points firmly in our minds, let us now turn to consider how the Church should respond to current U.S. Immigration Policy and Practice. While not discounting any of the scripture already offered above, I would like to frame our political response as follows. 

Five biblical goods that must be held in tension:

1. Human dignity (Genesis 1:27)
2. Hospitality to the stranger (Deut. 10:19; Matt. 25)
3. Justice and order (Romans 13)
4. Truth and responsibility (Ephesians 4:25)
5. Solidarity in the suffering Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:26; Philippians 1; 3:10)

A critical feature of this framework is that these five biblical goods must be held in tension. We cannot pick one of them and ignore the others. I often see people pick one and huddle up with others who pick the same one, while ignoring the others. Doing so will not steer us in the right direction and will undercut our role as people of God called to be shalom seekers in our nation and world. We need to wrestle with how these five goods can be faithfully embodied in this moment. 

Without these goods being valued and held in tension, various distortions emerge. Some examples include: 

• Hospitality without order > chaos and backlash
• Order without mercy > cruelty and fear
• Compassion without capacity > burnout and overwhelm 
• Enforcement without truth > dehumanization

Let me comment on each of the five biblical goods. I will give more attention to the last three, as the first two are more self-evident or have already been covered in my previous comments. 

1. Human Dignity

This is self-evident but often overlooked in practice. According to scripture, all human beings are made in the image of God and are worthy of respect. In order to move forward in a positive direction, we must apply this good to all people, including immigrants (regardless of legal status), ICE agents, politicians, and people who are our political opponents. It is impossible to make progress as shalom seekers without grounding our conviction and actions in this first good. Indeed, the dehmuanization of others sabotages any chance of fruitful discourse and of moving forward as a more just and compassionate society. 

2. Hospitality to the Stranger 

I gave this point significant attention in my previous comments, specifically under point #4 in my “Systemic theology of diaspora (refugee and immigrant) ministry and mission.” Please refer to my comments on this point there. 

As I shared above, if we adhere to a biblically informed social ethic, it must include a meaningful expression of hospitality to refugees, immigrants, and strangers. Indeed, until recent decades, the Church in the U.S. has historically led the way in providing hospitality to refugees. This social ethic has been among the highest ideals of both the Church and U.S. civil society, but over the last decade or so, there has been substantial opposition to this biblical good. 

3. Justice and Order

Throughout the Christian tradition, civil authority has been recognized as a legitimate institution—a gift from God meant to uphold order, restrain evil, and promote the common good. Romans 13 clearly affirms this role, calling believers to live as respectful, law-abiding residents and citizens. But Scripture also draws a boundary: when earthly powers demand what God forbids or forbid what God commands, the people of God are called to a higher loyalty. In moments like these, Acts 5:29 (“We must obey God rather than men”) and Revelation 13’s warning about beastly empires remind us that our ultimate allegiance is not to any nation or ruler, but to the Lord of heaven and earth.

There are many nuances to this conversation, and different parts of the Body of Christ have worked this out in different ways over the centuries. To this day, there is tension within the Church over how this is to be worked out. This is another reason we need to come together as a diverse Body to listen to and learn from one another.

People who select this good as the primary (or only) good often cite Romans 13 without including other passages in scripture that support drawing a boundary. Read in context, Romans 13 follows Paul’s call to reject vengeance, bless persecutors, and overcome evil with good. The passage affirms legitimate authority but also places moral limits on power, holding rulers accountable for wrongdoing. Romans 13 does not exist apart from Romans 1–12, where Paul establishes God’s ultimate authority, the dignity of human beings, the limits of power, and the call to sacrificial love. “There is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). “Love does no harm to a neighbor” (Romans 13:10). When the state (or anyone) acts in ways that harm, dehumanize, or deny justice, the Church is not rebelling by speaking – it is being faithful. Scripture is clear: “We must obey God rather than human authority” (Acts 5:29). 

As a reminder, racial segregation was legal, and the church stood up to change the law. Slavery was legal, and the church stood up to change the law. So, too, must we today. 

While there is a danger in misapplying Romans 13 in isolated, weaponized ways, there are concrete elements of justice and order that need to be incorporated into any holistic shalom-seeking response to immigration policy and practice in our day. Among them (4): 

• Remove Violent Criminals: This is indeed the state’s responsibility. Scripture affirms the legitimate role of governing authorities in restraining harm and upholding public safety (Romans 13:3–4). This must be done with discernment and justice – without criminalizing entire communities.
• Respect for due process for all: Due process is already embedded in our laws, yet it is not being honored equally – particularly for immigrant communities. “Do not show partiality in judging” (Deuteronomy 1:17). “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits” (Exodus 23:6).
• De-escalation and Non-Violence: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). We must call for restraint, wisdom, and safety for all.
• A Secure Border: Border security should protect life and uphold the common good – not dehumanize people.
• Bipartisan Immigration Reform: This is the right thing to do. Justice is not partisan. “Do what is just and right” (Jeremiah 22:3). We must call for real solutions that fix what is broken. 

Side Bar: Thoughts on Our Broken Immigration System and the Need for Reform. Our U.S. Immigration system is broken because our political system is so dysfunctional that it resists any meaningful Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). We have long needed CIR in our country, but because our political environment is so partisan and divided, politicians prefer to use the issue of immigration in a weaponized way that appeals to their base rather than work toward better legislation. Because CIR legislation has not passed, the executive branch retains significant discretion and power, which tends to provoke reactions and backlash from one administration to the next, outraging each base until another backlash can occur. 

How do people who claim to follow the way of Jesus help in such a scenario as this? 

First and foremost, we must filter the issue of immigration through a thoughtful, holistic biblical moral lens, and we cannot do this alone; we need perspectives from the whole body of Christ, not just our corner of it. We need to consider how we can be salt and light in this moment, rather than adding to the toxic environment that’s unfolding in our church sanctuaries and in the public square. And, we need to demand more of our politicians rather than allowing them to use immigrants as their political pawns.

4. Truth and Responsibility 

Public discourse today is rife with misinformation and lies. Indeed, the Prophet Isaiah’s words, spoken centuries ago, have never been more spot on: “For truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14).

Ephesians 4:25 admonishes the people of God, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” And this includes the way we engage with social media and civic discourse related to immigration policies and practices. 

Truth is not just accuracy — it’s moral love. In Scripture, lies don’t merely misinform; they injure. And responsibility means we don’t get to speak carelessly about whole groups of people made in God’s image.

Let me give some examples of how this plays out in our day: 

Irresponsible speech sounds like:

• “I saw it on Facebook, so it must be true.”
• “They’re animals/invaders.”
• “They deserve whatever happens.”

Responsible truth sounds like:

• “I’m not sure whether that claim is accurate — I should verify it before sharing.”
• “We can support order and still speak with compassion.”
• “Even if someone broke a law, they remain a human being deserving due process and dignity.”

Christians can affirm the need for immigration enforcement — but we must insist on truth and dignity. When enforcement is fueled by fear and falsehood, it ceases to be justice and becomes cruelty. The quickest way to dehumanize a group is to lie about them. 

A dehumanizing sentence sounds like: “They are eating our cats and dogs.”  Or 

“They’re criminals and invaders — round them up.”

A truthful sentence sounds like: “Some migrants commit crimes, but most do not, and all remain image-bearers with legal rights.”

As we wrestle with these things together in a truthful and responsible way, we gain greater biblical moral discernment. 

5. Solidarity with the Suffering Body of Christ 

Our world today is groaning as in the pains of childbirth (Rom 8:22). As of this writing, there are 56 active armed conflicts worldwide, marking the highest global total since World War II. One ramification of these conflicts is that 121 million people have been forcibly displaced. Many millions of these individuals and families are fellow Christians. 

A groundbreaking 2024 study maintains that “at the end of 2024, there were more than 10 million Christian immigrants present in the United States who are vulnerable to deportation. Overall, about 80% of all those at risk of deportation are Chris7ans, including about 61% who are Catholic, 13% who are Evangelical, and 7% who are adherents to other Christian traditions.” (5)

The immigrant community is suffering in the U.S. now, and a large percentage of those suffering are our Christian brothers and sisters. 

In I Corinthians 12:26, the Apostle Paul records these words, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”  Whenever one part of the Church is suffering, the whole is called to suffer alongside. The Catholic writer Henri Nouwen observed that the Greek word for compassion literally means “to suffer with.” 

Are we suffering in solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters? 

Conclusion:
The primary question before the Church is not simply what immigration policy should be, but what kind of people we will become in responding to this moment. For such a time as this, we are invited to embody a witness marked by truth, justice, hospitality, and Christlike love — trusting that faithful presence is itself part of God’s redemptive work in the world.

Reflection Questions

Personal & Spiritual Formation

• Where have my views on immigration been shaped more by media, politics, or fear than by Scripture and relationship?
• When I imagine immigrants or refugees, do I picture statistics or faces? What experiences have shaped your imagination?
• Which of the five biblical values (dignity, hospitality, order, truth and responsibility, solidarity in suffering) do you feel most drawn to—and which do you struggle with most? Why?
• How does my understanding of citizenship in the Kingdom of God influence (or challenge) my national identity?
• Where do I sense the Spirit inviting me toward greater compassion, humility, or courage in this moment?

Church & Discipleship

• How often does our church teach or model hospitality to strangers as a core practice of discipleship?
• Which of the five biblical goods does our congregation emphasize most? Which might we unintentionally neglect?
• Are immigrants and diaspora Christians recipients of ministry in our church — or partners and leaders within it?
• How might listening to immigrant believers reshape our theology, worship, or mission priorities?

Public Witness & Civic Life

• What would it look like for Christians to model a different tone in public conversations about immigration?
• How can we pursue justice and order without sacrificing compassion and dignity?
• Where do we see misinformation shaping Christian conversations, and how might we respond faithfully?
• What does it mean to be “salt and light” in a polarized political environment without becoming partisan actors?
• Using the 5 biblical goods – where do we see them show up or being absent in our current U.S. immigration policy and practices? 

Action Steps Toward Practicing Faithful Presence 

1. Begin with Relationship

• Intentionally build a friendship with an immigrant or refugee neighbor, coworker, or church member.
• Listen to stories before forming opinions.
• Participate in cultural events, shared meals, or community gatherings that foster mutual understanding.

2. Practice Informed Compassion

• Commit to learning from reliable sources before sharing immigration-related information online.
• Read or study Scripture passages related to migration and hospitality as part of personal or small-group discipleship.
• Engage resources such as The Bible and Migration course together as a church or small group.

3. Strengthen the Church’s Welcome

• Volunteer with or support local ministries serving immigrants, refugees, or asylum seekers.
• Help your church evaluate whether newcomers can easily belong, participate, and lead.
• Consider forming a small hospitality or accompaniment team to support immigrant families as they navigate daily challenges.

4. Cultivate Responsible Public Engagement

• Speak about immigration with humility, accuracy, and dignity — especially in polarized conversations.
• Pray regularly for immigrants, policymakers, border officials, and community leaders alike.
• Encourage elected officials toward policies that reflect both justice and mercy, resisting dehumanizing rhetoric from any side.

5. Practice Solidarity

• Learn about global displacement and pray intentionally for suffering parts of the Body of Christ.
• Support organizations providing legal aid, resettlement assistance, or humanitarian care.
• When immigrant members of the Church experience fear or uncertainty, check in personally — presence itself is ministry.

Other Resources: 

The Bible and Migration, a short video course produced by The Center for Public Theology and Migration 

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube for more content like this.