[Opinion Piece] Why immigration reform can’t wait: an evangelical view
This content, written by Steven Eng, is reposted from the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin website. Read the original post here.
Recently, many Christians in southeastern Minnesota and around the world celebrated Christmas. This season reminds us of a story central to our faith: the journey of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus to Egypt, fleeing King Herod’s decree (Matthew 2:13-18). Their plight mirrors the experiences of countless families seeking refuge from violence, persecution, and poverty. These families are not just statistics; they are our neighbors, colleagues, and members of our congregations.
As a pastor in Rochester who also travels the country as advocacy director with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), I meet people of faith and goodwill who believe in both the rule of law and the biblical call to “welcome the stranger” (Matthew 25:35). I also hear stories of immigrant neighbors who work hard to support their families and strengthen America. Among them are Dreamers, brought here as children, who know no other home; families escaping persecution and violence; and workers filling critical roles in agriculture, healthcare, and technology. They embody resilience and hope, striving to “do things the right way” despite navigating a complex and often unjust immigration system.
While securing our borders and enforcing immigration laws are critical to our nation’s sovereignty and security, these objectives must not come at the expense of family unity or the dignity of those seeking to contribute to our society. In my regular travels to Washington D.C., I’ve been encouraged by meetings with members of Congress, staffers, and top policy experts who are working quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes to find solutions that balance these objectives.
The time has come for reasonable voices from our region to urge members of Congress and the incoming Administration to prioritize bipartisan solutions that:
- Protect Dreamers: Establish a pathway to legal status or citizenship for 3.6 million Dreamers, allowing them to continue contributing to the country they know as home.
- Expand Legal Immigration Channels: Increase visas for religious workers, students, and essential laborers in industries experiencing acute shortages, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. This will reduce illegal immigration and alleviate backlogs in our asylum system.
- Ensure Refugee Protections: Establish a floor of 50,000 annual refugee admissions who are thoroughly vetted overseas. This reaffirms our global leadership in protecting persecuted individuals worldwide, including Christians and others persecuted for their faith.
- Limit Mass Deportations: Recent polling shows immigration solutions rooted in pragmatism and compassion enjoy broad support among Americans. For instance, 60% of Republicans—and 67% of voters overall—say enforcement should prioritize violent criminals and those with final orders of removal rather than “all individuals without legal status.” Moreover, 75% of Republicans agree that family unity, respect for human dignity, and protection for the persecuted should remain key priorities alongside increased border security and enforcement.
One local Hispanic pastor shared that some in her congregation are not aware of the president-elect’s plans, lack information on what to do if faced with deportation, or are just beginning to seek help from overwhelmed immigration attorneys. As immigration attorney Robyn Meyer-Thompson noted in a recent Post-Bulletin article, “I think that we have to take the president-elect at his word.”
Matthew Soerens, vice president of policy and advocacy with World Relief, which partners with Arrive Ministries in Minnesota, said, “If [President-elect Trump] intends to target U.S.-born children and immigrants with no criminal histories, using the military to carry out the largest deportation in American history, that will concern World Relief and many evangelical Christians.”
The NAE and partners have consistently found strong support among evangelicals for immigration policies that secure borders (91%), respect family unity (91%), and offer earned pathways to citizenship (75%). These priorities reflect a broad consensus that we can be both compassionate and pragmatic in our approach.
Thoughtful solutions are emerging from Congress, such as the America’s Children Act in the Senate, or the Dignity Act in the House, which balances border security with humanitarian provisions and earned legal status. These show immigration reform need not be divisive but can reflect our nation’s best values and priorities.
Proverbs 24:11 reminds us to “rescue those being led away to death” and act justly toward the vulnerable. Rev. Gabriel Salguero of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition notes there is still time for leaders to “reconcile humane immigration reform without disastrous impacts on families and congregations.”
Will you join us in urging Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, Representative Brad Finstad, and President-elect Trump to advance policies that keep families together, protect those fleeing persecution, and reward lawful contributions to our society? The time to speak and act is now.

Steven Eng, advocacy director of the National Association of Evangelicals, works with NAE leaders, constituents and others to help advance the principles of the NAE document, “For the Health of the Nation,” as they use their God-given influence to bless our nation. Eng served for three decades as an ordained evangelical pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church. He received a degree in political science from St. Olaf College and a M.Div. degree from North Park Theological Seminary.