Christian Leaders Respond in Writing to Trump’s Travel Ban and Immoral Immigration Crackdown
June 12, 2025•453 words
"We follow Jesus, who was himself a refugee, and we will resist any policy that denies others the refuge he and his family were given." ~ Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (Episcopal Diocese of Washington)
"This ban is not about safety. It’s about hate. It’s about scapegoating Muslims and immigrants for political gain. And religious leaders must call it what it is—immoral." ~ Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (President, Repairers of the Breach)
"These actions go against the values we hold as a nation and as a church: to welcome the stranger and protect the vulnerable." ~ Cardinal Blase J. Cupich (Archdiocese of Chicago)
"We are commanded to welcome the stranger, for we were strangers in Egypt. The travel ban violates both our religious mandate and our democratic principles." ~ Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner (Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism)
"This is not about national security, it's about nationalism and white supremacy cloaked in policy. As people of faith, we must stand together against this moral failure." ~ Imam Omar Suleiman (Founder, Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research)
They can actively oppose injustice and political manipulation by engaging in a range of significant activities if they are members of a religious community such as The Episcopal Church or the more politically powerful Catholic Church. They might decide to back legal actions that contest executive orders that infringe on religious freedom, like travel restrictions that target particular vulnerable visible ethnic populations. They oppose economic policies that favour the wealthy while depriving public health, social services, and foreign aid of critical support by supporting federal budgets that protect the poor. Their dedication to accepting and providing for immigrants and refugees is a reflection of their gospel-centred obligation to assist those who are most in need. By doing this, they represent a moral reaction based on justice and compassion. Most modern liberal democracies have a strong historical connection and culturally rooted constitutional foundation of these Judeo-Christian norms.
Additionally, they show compassion by cooperating with other religious traditions, exhibiting unity in ethical principles and resistance against injustice. Their kind of institutional resistance stems from their strong Christian beliefs to defend justice, peace, and human dignity rather than from factionalism. They fulfill their baptismal promises to reject evil and to continue doing what is right by participating in these activities. Their church is still one of the few organizations that can stand firmly against injustice because it is a moral force that is protected by the freedom of speech and has experience inspiring people of conscience. Their actions reveal their religious calling to show the way of justice in the face of structural injustices, in addition to their protest.
https://www.jeelani-law.com/catholic-leaders-condemn-trumps-executive-orders-in-immigration/
https://arabamericannews.com/2025/03/21/religious-leaders-condemn-trumps-treatment-of-immigrants/