Christians do not have to choose between compassion and the rule of law. Scripture calls nations to show mercy to the vulnerable while preserving just boundaries, punishing evil, and protecting the people entrusted to their care.
Update (April 12, 2026): José Ibarra was convicted in November 2024 and sentenced to life without parole for Laken Riley’s February 22, 2024 murder. President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act on January 29, 2025. Border enforcement has changed sharply since the peak of the crisis: CBP says southwest border apprehensions in March 2026 were 97% lower than in March 2024. The policy debate is still intense, but the core biblical question remains the same: how should a nation show mercy without surrendering justice, order, and its duty to protect the innocent?
Original: The murder of Laken Riley forced the nation to confront a painful reality: immigration policy is not an abstraction. It has real consequences for public safety, national sovereignty, and the government’s duty to protect the innocent. For Christians, the question is not whether we should show compassion to the foreigner. We should. The question is whether compassion can be severed from justice, order, and the rule of law. Scripture gives no warrant for that false choice.
The Laken Riley Act became an early sign of a broader effort to restore immigration enforcement and reassert the principle that a nation has both the right and the responsibility to defend its borders. Yet legislation alone cannot resolve the deeper issue. America still needs durable immigration reform, serious action against criminal enterprises, and a moral framework that distinguishes mercy from lawlessness.
Why Immigration Still Demands a Biblical Framework
In the 2024 election, Donald Trump ran nearly even among Hispanic voters, a major shift from prior cycles and a sign that immigration had become a broader question of order, safety, economic stability, and national identity rather than a narrow partisan talking point.
This trend indicates that immigration policy has evolved beyond a partisan or even a racial issue, with many legal immigrants and minority communities viewing border security as essential to economic stability and public safety.
A Gallup poll in February 2024 found that 28% of Americans named immigration as the nation’s most important problem, showing just how central the border crisis had become in the public mind at the height of the surge.
As national security concerns continue to shape public opinion, Christians are encouraged to approach this issue through a biblical lens. Scripture affirms the necessity of lawful governance and border integrity. While compassion for immigrants is essential, it should not serve as a pretext for endorsing lawlessness.
Illegal Immigration Undermines National Security
Illegal immigration remains a national security risk, even as crossings decline. Criminal organizations, including Venezuelan gangs and Mexican cartels, have long exploited weaknesses in border enforcement. In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 169 individuals on the terror watchlist — a stark reminder of the potential threats that unchecked immigration poses.
Transnational criminal enterprises smuggle drugs, weapons, and human beings across the border, wreaking havoc on American communities. The fentanyl epidemic — fueled by drugs trafficked through the southern border — has devastated thousands of families, with overdose deaths reaching record highs.
Additionally, sanctuary cities continue to defy federal law by sheltering illegal immigrants, including violent offenders. These jurisdictions not only undermine federal authority but also place their citizens in harm’s way.
From a biblical perspective, national security is a God-ordained responsibility of government. Romans 13:1-4 explicitly commands leaders to protect their citizens and punish wrongdoing. A government that neglects border security not only fails its people but abdicates its divine mandate.
Preserving the Rule of Law
A nation without borders is a nation in decline. The erosion of immigration laws emboldens lawlessness and undermines the foundation of justice. Sanctuary city policies, for example, send a dangerous message: that laws can be disregarded without consequence.
Acts 17:26 affirms that God established nations and their boundaries to ensure order and societal flourishing. Enforcing immigration laws is not an act of cruelty — it is an act of justice and necessity. Upholding the rule of law restores trust in government institutions and reassures legal immigrants that their sacrifices in following the proper channels were not in vain.
The Economic and Social Cost of Illegal Immigration
Illegal immigration continues to strain the nation’s financial resources. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimates that illegal immigration costs American taxpayers $150.7 billion annually, with healthcare, education, and public services bearing the brunt of the burden.
Additionally, illegal labor undercuts American workers, particularly in industries such as construction, agriculture, and hospitality. A February 2024 Monmouth University poll found that 28 percent of Americans believe illegal immigrants take jobs from U.S. citizens, a sentiment that fuels economic and social resentment.
Cultural integration challenges further complicate the issue. Communities in Florida, for instance, have faced difficulties assimilating an influx of Haitian migrants, leading to social tensions and resource strains. Additionally, Venezuelan criminal organizations, such as the Tren de Aragua gang, have established a presence in various U.S. cities, contributing to instability, crime, and anxiety. In October 2024, the Department of Homeland Security identified over 600 migrants in the U.S. with potential ties to this violent Venezuelan gang, underscoring the security concerns associated with illegal immigration.
These factors highlight the multifaceted challenges posed by illegal immigration, encompassing economic burdens, labor market dynamics, and cultural integration issues.
A Call to Action: Establishing a Moral Immigration Policy
With illegal crossings at historic lows, now is the time to implement lasting reforms that ensure this progress is not reversed. An America First immigration agenda must prioritize the safety and prosperity of American citizens by enacting the following measures:
- Enhanced Border Security: Continue expanding surveillance technology and physical barriers in high-risk areas.
- Streamlined Legal Immigration: Shift to a merit-based system that prioritizes highly skilled workers.
- Reforming Asylum Laws: Process claims in home countries to reduce fraudulent entries.
- Nationwide E-Verify Mandates: Require employers to verify work eligibility to curb illegal hiring.
- Targeted Deportations: Prioritize the removal of individuals with criminal backgrounds and those exploiting the welfare system.
These measures align with biblical principles of governance, fulfilling the government’s duty to steward its nation’s resources and protect its people (1 Timothy 5:8).
If you believe America needs immigration policy marked by truth, justice, compassion, and the rule of law, make your tax-deductible gift today to help the Standing for Freedom Center equip Christians, defend ordered liberty, and bring a biblical worldview to the nation’s hardest debates.
