Jeremy L. Berg

One of the most maddening facts about this moment is how MAGA Evangelicals who support and defend the current president are totally at odds with so many reputable Evangelical institutions and humanitarian organizations started by conservative Evangelical stalwarts like Billy Graham. Chief among them are World Relief and one of my go-to outlets, The National Association of Evangelicals.

I intentionally seek out and share sources that cannot be simply be dismissed as woke, mainstream media propaganda, and here is another example. I stand in support of the NAE’s statement released in December, “Standing With Our Immigrant Neighbors in a Time of Crisis” and invite you to do the same.

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DECEMBER 11, 2025 | Statement

Refugees and immigrants have long been a great blessing to the United States. Today, many are subject to dehumanizing rhetoric and live in fear of being deported, separated from their families, or forced back to countries where they could face mistreatment or even persecution. The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) laments the suffering of our immigrant neighbors — many of whom share our Christian faith and enrich our churches — and calls for an end to the inhumane treatment of immigrants in our country.

The NAE grieves all acts of violence against image-bearers of God and supports the deportation of persons convicted of violent crimes. However, most immigrants in the United States are living peacefully and working productively in their communities. It is unjust to attribute the violent actions of a few to entire communities based on nationality or ethnicity. We believe refugees and immigrants deserve safety, dignity and fair treatment.

The NAE has consistently called for a bipartisan solution on immigration that: respects the God-given dignity of every person, protects the unity of the immediate family, respects the rule of law, guarantees secure national borders, ensures fairness to taxpayers, and establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent.

The inability to pass and enforce balanced immigration reform legislation has created an environment in which harmful rhetoric and inhumane treatment have flourished. Highly publicized raids have created fear in immigrant communities — even among those who have permanent legal status or U.S. citizenship. The NAE is also deeply troubled by the reversal of a longstanding policy recognizing churches as sensitive locations that are exempt from regular immigration enforcement. Churches should remain places of welcome and safety for those who worship there.

We are also concerned about the moral injury experienced by immigration agents who seek to serve honorably but face pressure to meet unrealistic arrest quotas. They too are made in God’s image and should be treated with dignity and respect. We fear that law enforcement itself could suffer a diminishment of the moral standing it deserves.

In this complicated moment, we find comfort in knowing that God has not abandoned us or our immigrant neighbors. The Bible assures us that God has given all believers his Holy Spirit “for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). God has entrusted each of us, including our immigrant brothers and sisters, with gifts to serve one another. We embrace our call to meet practical needs, “bearing one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) and to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Proverbs 31:8). We invite all people of goodwill to join us in prayer, advocacy and practical care for those in need.

To a community polarized along theological and ethnic lines, the Apostle Paul gave inspired advice that applies today: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:9–14). 

May the Lord make us such a people for such a time as this.