Turn on the news, connect to social media, and almost immediately you will be faced with scenes of ICE Agents, immigrants, and protestors battling it out in the public square. Emotions are so high, it all seems so incredibly complicated. As followers of Jesus, we wonder, what in the world does the Bible have to say about immigration policy and how we should respond to those who enter our country illegally?
I strongly believe that when we closely examine God’s Word, we find that we are confronted with two basic truths. First, the Scripture commands believers personally to love the foreigner and sojourner among us (Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 10:18-19), and Christians must lead in showing kindness and generosity without allowing debates to harden our hearts. Second, personal mercy does not override the God-ordained role of government to uphold law and punish wrongdoing (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14). Enforcing borders reflects biblical wisdom, not a lack of love.
Before we go much further it needs to be said that immigration enforcement is not merely a theoretical debate; it affects real people and real families. So often these arguments and discussions are done online and on social media, and they come across as cold, angry, or insensitive. Many who are caught in the immigration system have fled violence or poverty and their stories should be heard with understanding and compassion. Scripture repeatedly shows God’s heart for the vulnerable and the oppressed (Psalm 146:9; Exodus 22:21). We can affirm just laws while still grieving brokenness in a fallen world.
One of the things that is frequently overlooked in these immigration discussions is that Scripture repeatedly affirms nations, borders, and boundaries as part of God’s sovereign design. God, not man, divided humanity into nations at Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), determined “the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26), and permitted His people to build protective walls (Nehemiah 2:17-20; 2 Chronicles 14:7), not from hatred, but to safeguard order and flourishing within. Just as a father secures his home (locking doors, installing alarm systems, etc.) while still showing hospitality, nations have a God-given responsibility to vet entry and protect those entrusted to their care.
A frequent objection claims Jesus was an “illegal immigrant” or that His family’s flight to Egypt demands open borders today. I recently gleaned an important Biblical insight while listening to a podcast from a local pastor here in the DFW area. This “Jesus was an illegal immigrant” argument seriously misreads the text: Joseph and Mary moved within the Roman Empire, faced no modern immigration restrictions, and obeyed civil authority by registering for the census (Luke 2:1-5). Please keep this in mind, Jesus Himself affirmed lawful order when He said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Twisting Jesus’ story (and the Word of God) for our political purposes needs to stop when it comes to ongoing dialogue about immigration here in the United States.
Law enforcement should enforce our immigration laws in a manner that honors the profound biblical truth that every person, citizen, immigrant, and officer alike, is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This demands dignity and humanity in every interaction. Yet respect must flow both ways: just as officers are called to treat immigrants with fairness and restraint, immigrants and citizens must show honor and submission to those whom God has placed in authority (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:17).
Biblical commands to welcome the stranger are binding on individual believers and churches, but they do not bind governments to abandon enforcement. The same Old Testament that calls Israel to love sojourners also required those foreigners to obey the nation’s laws fully, one law for native and alien alike (Numbers 15:15-16; Exodus 12:49). Illegal entry violates just laws, and Scripture views such disobedience as sin (Romans 13:1-7). Overlooking it is not compassion; it undermines justice, burdens citizens (especially the poor), disadvantages legal immigrants who waited patiently, and can lead to exploitation. True mercy operates alongside truth, governments bear the sword to restrain evil, while individuals bear the towel to serve (Romans 13:4, John 13:4-15).
This view rejects false dichotomies: we need not choose between love and law. Christians can vigorously support enforcement and deportation for lawbreakers while personally feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, regardless of their status. I don’t hear it mentioned very often but it is a fact that America already leads the world when it comes to legal admission into our country.*
It is my opinion that the argument that I have been making in this article is faithful to Scripture by showing a love for neighbor and at the same time it honors the laws that God has told us to be in submission to. It is a great comfort to know that one glorious day Jesus will return, and he will rule the earth with perfect justice and mercy.
*LINK: https://www.migrationdataportal.org/themes/international-migration-flows
MichaelWallenmeyer.com 