ICE Raids, Closed Borders, and the Church’s Immigration Blind Spot
As the White House pushes "reverse migration," we revisit a question: Why do Christians applaud missionaries who break immigration laws while demonizing migrants who do the same?
The news cycle has been stacked with headline after headline about ICE hunting immigrants, those here legally and those who are undocumented. Under Trump, immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers — many of them Christians — have been systematically targeted, often violently and unjustly detained and deported. Some have been shipped to countries where they have no ties. People following the legal process have been ambushed and ripped from their families and those long naturalized fear their citizenship status could be revoked — some believe all in an effort to “make America White again.”
Now, after a deadly shooting, immigration from “third world countries” are being “permanently paused.” Trump’s announcement, also initiating what he calls “reverse migration,” has likely intensified fear and uncertainty among immigrants and their loved ones.
For some U.S.-born Christians, these policies may seem like a win for national security and the rule of law. But for many others, including those with a heart for the missions and evangelization, these headlines should trigger a deep, uncomfortable dissonance.
That dissonance is exactly what Beth Watkins captured in her prophetic essay, “The Great Commission, Immigration and Christian Hypocrisy.”
Although written years ago, Watkins’ words feel like they were penned just yesterday. In our latest Rewind, we are bringing this piece 👇 back to the forefront because it exposes a spiritual blind spot that has become dangerous in 2025.
The ‘Good’ Illegal vs The ‘Bad’ Illegal
Watkins, a former missionary in North Africa, pulls back the curtain on a dirty secret of U.S. missionaries abroad: they are often the illegal immigrants.
She describes how American missionaries frequently enter “closed countries” on tourist, business, or student visas. They often lie to customs agents about their true intent. They overstay. They “flout the rules.”
And the U.S. church applauds them. We call it “creative access.” We say they are obeying God rather than man. We justify their deception because the mission — spreading the gospel — is too important to be stopped by a border agent.
But when the roles are reversed?
Watkins writes:
“When it comes to Christian missions and service, we grant ourselves benefits we would deny others, and flout rules abroad that we fervently demand adherence to at home. We are immigration hypocrites.”
Why It Matters in 2025
Today, as the White House revokes thousands of visas and targets international students under the banner of “America First,” this hypocrisy is apparent.
If American Christians support policies that categorically view international students and migrants from the “Third World” as threats to be purged, how can we simultaneously expect those same nations to welcome American students and American workers?
If we cheer when the U.S. tightens its visa regime to “protect our culture,” do we lose the right to complain when a North African or Asian government denies a visa to a missionary to protect theirs?
Watkins recounts a stinging encounter with a missions professor who aggressively advocated for Muslim bans and border walls in the U.S., only to turn around and ask for prayer regarding his own difficult visa renewal in a foreign country. He wanted open borders for his ministry, but closed borders for his neighbor.
As ICE agents rappel out of helicopters over Chicago apartments, stake out schools, and raid churches, we have to confront the uncomfortable question: Is our commitment to the gospel real, or is our theology of migration dictated by the comfort of citizenship rather than the commands of Christ?
Read Watkins’ full, original essay: “The Great Commission, Immigration and Christian Hypocrisy” here.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and edited by a human for accuracy, clarity, and context.