FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 27, 2025

 

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to the executive orders signed by President Trump on the first day of his second term and subsequent reports of ICE raids, Sojourners offered the following statement:

As people of faith, we are deeply troubled by the recent executive orders targeting immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. These actions undermine the dignity of those made in the image of God, violate our biblical call to welcome the stranger, and will cause immeasurable harm to vulnerable children and families and our communities. Specifically, these policies aim to restrict access to asylum, expand detention, end birthright citizenship, enable DHS officials to conduct raids in schools and houses of worship, and increase barriers to those seeking safety and refuge. Policies like these are both cruel and counterproductive, often rooted in fear, not facts, and do nothing to make our communities safer or stronger. Instead, they sow division, perpetuate racism, and scapegoat immigrant families who are already struggling under the weight of injustice. This administration must end its relentless attacks on immigrants and refugees and instead embrace policies that reflect our nation’s highest ideals and our shared faith values.

“Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors and care for the least of these, which includes the injunction to welcome the stranger,” said Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, President of Sojourners. “These executive orders do the opposite. They deepen injustice, exacerbate human suffering, and betray the moral and spiritual values that should guide our nation. We must resist policies that dehumanize people seeking safety and instead work to build a more just and compassionate immigration system.”

Sandy Ovalle, Sojourners’ Senior Director of Campaigns and Mobilizing, added, “Our faith calls us to stand with children and families fleeing violence and persecution, not to turn them away. These orders place vulnerable lives in danger and foster a culture of exclusion and fear. They fail to advance an effective immigration system. We must act in solidarity with those who are suffering and continue to advocate for policies rooted in justice, mercy, and love. We are also particularly disturbed by recent reports of ICE presence at churches. Serving migrant people is a religious liberty issue for many communities of faith. Relaxing the rules around immigration raids at sensitive locations like churches and schools makes it much more difficult for our houses of worship to serve as safe spaces for spiritual nourishment for all people, setting the stage for less safety and more trauma for everyone.”

Sojourners will continue to equip people of faith to accompany immigrants and those fleeing persecution through training webinars and monthly newsletters.

###

Sojourners is a leading Christian publication and advocacy organization committed to social justice and peace. Through its various initiatives, Sojourners seeks to inspire and equip individuals of faith to live out their values in the public square.