Evangelical Leaders Call on Presidential Candidates to Embrace Biblical Values on Immigration

WASHINGTON — More than 200 prominent evangelical Christian leaders, including moderates and influential conservatives, have signed an open letter urging the presidential candidates of both major parties to adopt immigration policies based on biblical principles.

The letter, released on September 30 and organized by World Relief, a leading evangelical humanitarian aid group, specifically expresses concern with the approach to immigration taken by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

The signatories include Matthew Soerens, vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief; Timothy R. Head of the Faith and Freedom Coalition; Daniel Darling of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement; and National Association of Evangelicals President Walter Kim. Other notable names include Gabriel and Jeanette Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Raymond Chang from the Asian American Christian Collaborative, Dave Dummitt of Willow Creek Community Church, and Rich Nathan of Vineyard Church in Columbus, Ohio.

“There’s no single evangelical perspective on U.S. immigration policy,” the letter acknowledges, but it also stresses that “the vast majority of American evangelicals are neither anti-immigrant nor advocates for open borders.”

The letter outlines three core principles guiding evangelicals on immigration: recognizing the inherent dignity of all people as made in the image of God, supporting secure and orderly borders, and opposing policies that separate immigrant families. While calling for secure borders, the signatories also express concern over the increasing number of apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border, echoing criticisms often voiced by opponents of the current administration.

The letter highlights the risk of individuals entering the country with harmful intentions, a concern central to Trump’s immigration platform. However, it also emphasizes the need to protect those fleeing persecution. “We believe our government can and must both maintain a secure, orderly border and protect those fleeing persecution,” it states.

The letter’s signatories represent a wide geographical spread, including Myal Greene of World Relief, David Hoag of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and various local faith leaders from across the U.S.

As candidates aim to appeal to evangelical voters, the letter urges them to reflect these biblical values in both their rhetoric and policy proposals. “Regardless of the outcome of this or any election, American evangelicals remain committed to the biblical call to love our neighbors—including our immigrant neighbors,” the letter concludes.

The release of the letter closely follows a faith-based event in Pennsylvania, where JD Vance defended Trump’s border policies. Vance, a Catholic, framed his hardline stance on immigration as rooted in Christian duty to prioritize one’s own family and nation. He remarked, “It doesn’t mean you have to be mean to other people, but your first duty as an American leader is to the people of your own country.”