They are trying to rally support for the Rep. Maria Salazar’s (R-Fla.) Dignity Act, a Congressional effort to pass a rational immigration law that works against abuses that Trump and his Sterpthen Miller have done that have been actually counterproductive for America…..
Trump deserves credit for dramatic improvements to border security, which most evangelical Christians see as a priority. But he is losing some by separating families through an indiscriminate push to detain and deport immigrants who do not pose a public safety threat. Despite the “worst of the worst” rhetoric, Department of Homeland Security data shows that fewer than 30 percent of immigrants detained as of last month have been convicted of a crime, and a much smaller share, just 5 percent as of last fall have been convicted of a violent crime.
Most detained immigrants are not criminals. The vast majority — 80 percent — are Christians of one tradition or another. Further, 90 percent of evangelical Christians tell Lifeway Research that policy solutions should protect the unity of the immediate family. A new report from World Relief and the National Association of Evangelicals projects that 1.3 million U.S. citizen minor children and spouses will face separation from family if the administration continues its mass deportation and visa ban policies. For Christians focused on the family, that’s concerning.
Christian concern with immigration enforcement peaked in January next door in Minnesota. U.S. citizens, including one who grew up in the congressional district I represented, were killed by immigration officers. Lawfully present refugees — including Christians who had fled persecution — were taken from their homes and detained in Texas. Still, the resettlement of Christian refugees persecuted for their faith, who are a priority for 84 percent of Protestant pastors, remains completely shut down.
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