U.S. Bishops, Evangelicals urge compassion and solidarity as crackdown looms
By Lisa Zengarini
Washington D.C., April 8, 2025 — More than 10 million Christian immigrants in the United States are at risk of deportation, including many under temporary protections that could soon be revoked, according to a newly released joint report by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the National Association of Evangelicals, World Relief, and the Center for the Study of Global Christianity.
The report, titled “One Part of the Body,” reveals that one in twelve Christians in the U.S. is either deportation-vulnerable or lives with someone who is. It calls on American Christians to recognize the urgent pastoral implications of immigration enforcement and to stand in solidarity with fellow believers affected by increasingly aggressive deportation policies.
“Whenever one part of the Church is suffering, the whole is called to suffer alongside,” wrote Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, in the report’s introductory letter.
According to the findings, nearly 7 million U.S.-citizen Christians live in mixed-status households, meaning they have at least one family member who could face deportation. Among the vulnerable Christian population, 18 percent are Catholics and 6 percent are Evangelicals, with others belonging to various denominations.
The report’s release comes amid growing fears over former President Donald Trump’s renewed pledge to launch mass deportations if reelected. Church leaders warn that up to 20 million people could be targeted, with four out of five undocumented or deportation-risk immigrants identifying as Christian.
While emphasizing respect for governmental authority, the report urges a “balanced approach” to immigration that aligns justice with mercy. “Deportation is one form of enforcement, but not always the most ethical or necessary one,” it notes. “Viable alternatives that provide a pathway to legal status must be considered.”
Importantly, the document does not frame itself as a political plea, but rather as a pastoral call to compassion, citing biblical references such as Genesis 1:27 and John 13:35 to highlight the moral duty to protect the dignity of all people — especially fellow members of the Body of Christ.
The report is supported by statistical analysis and firsthand stories drawn from Catholic and Protestant congregations across the country, aiming to personalize the often abstract immigration debate.
In closing, the signatories invite Christian communities to respond with empathy, advocacy, and action, reminding believers that the hallmark of discipleship is love, especially in times of suffering and fear.
“These are not strangers. They are your neighbors, your coworkers, your fellow parishioners,” the report affirms. “Now is the time to stand with them.”
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