By Collin Hain
Chief Operations Officer
The Danbury Institute
Every day, Americans anxiously await a fresh set of news from the newly minted 47th presidential administration. Moving at record speeds, President Trump has begun delivering on campaign promises and granting freedom-loving Americans reason to rejoice.
Among the many accomplishments in the first few weeks of his administration is the enforcement of our border laws and long-awaited deportations of illegal aliens. Many well-meaning Christians with a heart for the immigrant have questioned whether it is compassionate or biblical to deport illegal immigrants en masse. However, as Bible-believing Christians, we must look beyond emotional appeals and examine what Scripture actually teaches about law, order, national sovereignty, and the proper role of government.
The truth is this: supporting the enforcement of immigration laws, including deportations, is not only reasonable and necessary for the security of our nation, but it is also entirely biblical. A consistent, scriptural view affirms that governments are divinely ordained to uphold justice, protect their citizens, and maintain order. Enforcing border security and removing those who violate our immigration system is not an act of hatred or cruelty, it is an act of obedience to God’s design for nations, a protection of our people, and ultimately an act of compassion for all involved.
1. God is a God of Law and Order
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is clear that God is a God of justice, law, and order. In 1 Corinthians 14:33, we read, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” Order, rather than chaos, is the nature of God’s design. Romans 13:1-7 further reinforces this where Paul exhorts believers to submit to governing authorities, stating that “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (v. 1).
To defy the lawful immigration policies of the United States is not merely a disregard for man-made laws; it is a rebellion against the divinely appointed system of order that God has established. The government has been given the sword to enforce justice (Romans 13:4), and this includes the responsibility to maintain national borders and regulate who may enter and remain within our country.
2. God Ordains Nations and Borders
Contrary to the modern globalist ideology that seeks to erase national distinctions, Scripture teaches that God Himself established nations and their boundaries. Acts 17:26 declares:
“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.
The division of humanity into nations was not an accident; it was by divine design. God set the borders of peoples and established nations with distinct identities and responsibilities. We see this principle clearly demonstrated in the Old Testament where God set boundaries for Israel and commanded them to protect their land (Numbers 34). The idea of national sovereignty and secure borders is not a modern political construct—it is a biblical reality.
To allow unchecked illegal immigration is to undermine the very design God has for nations. It is not an act of virtue to dissolve national sovereignty in the name of misguided compassion; rather, it is an act of rebellion against the order God established.
3. The Role of Government: Protection of Its Citizens
While Christians are called to love their neighbors and minister to the foreigner, the Bible makes a clear distinction between the role of the Church and the role of the government. The Church is called to evangelize and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). However, the government is tasked with executing justice, punishing wrongdoers, and protecting its people (Romans 13:4).
A nation’s primary duty is to its own citizens. Proverbs 31:8-9 instructs rulers to “defend the rights of the poor and needy.” This does not mean they must sacrifice their own people’s security for outsiders; rather, they are to govern justly and ensure that their own citizens are safe and cared for. President Trump’s mass deportations serve this exact purpose—prioritizing American citizens who have been negatively impacted by unchecked illegal immigration, including crime, financial strain, and job loss.
Citizenship of the United States affords you rights of protection, namely “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” as our Declaration of Independence puts it. Allowing the free flow of illegal aliens into our country undermines the rights and meaning of citizenship of the United States and undercuts our government’s abilities to defend the most basic of rights that they are tasked to protect.
4. The American People Overwhelmingly Support Deportations
The biblical principle of governance is that leaders should serve the interests of their people. A good leader does not rule against the well-being of his people.
Polls consistently show that the vast majority of Americans support strict border security and the deportation of those who have broken our immigration laws. To ignore this overwhelming desire is to act in defiance of the people’s will. In a democratic republic, elected officials serve as representatives of their constituents, and failing to uphold immigration laws is a betrayal of their responsibility.
5. The Devastating Effects of Illegal Immigration
Illegal immigration has wrought havoc on the United States. The Bible commands us to pursue justice, and justice demands that we acknowledge the immense costs of lawlessness.
Crime and Murder: Innocent Americans have lost their lives to crimes committed by illegal aliens. Sanctuary cities have harbored violent criminals who should have been deported, leading to unnecessary deaths. “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers” (Proverbs 21:15). Deportation ensures justice.
Economic Strain: Illegal immigrants cost American taxpayers billions of dollars annually in welfare benefits, healthcare, and education. Meanwhile, American citizens, including veterans and families, struggle to make ends meet.
Drugs and Human Trafficking: Unsecured borders have facilitated a drug crisis that is devastating American communities. Fentanyl, smuggled in by drug cartels, is now a leading cause of death among adults. Thousands of unaccompanied minors have gone missing after crossing the border, likely sold into human trafficking. Enforcing border security is an act of protection and compassion, not cruelty.
6. True Compassion Includes Consequences
Some argue that deporting illegal immigrants is unloving. However, true compassion is not enabling lawbreaking, but enforcing laws that protect all people, including those who may be tempted to cross illegally.
Enforcing border laws discourages dangerous treks where women and children are often trafficked and abused.
It prevents more deaths in the desert and at the hands of cartels.
It preserves the integrity of legal immigration, allowing those who follow the proper process to enter lawfully.
God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6), and a government that allows unrestrained lawbreaking is not acting in love—it is acting in negligence.
7. Christians Can Minister to Immigrants While Supporting Deportation
It is entirely possible to love and minister to immigrants while also supporting law enforcement. The two are not mutually exclusive.
We should provide spiritual and physical support to immigrants, even illegal immigrants in our churches.
We should share the life-changing power of the gospel with all people, regardless of legal status.
But we should also uphold the law and recognize that government has a duty to enforce justice.
The Bible does not command nations to dissolve their borders in the name of hospitality. Rather, it commands individuals to be charitable while maintaining justice and righteousness.
A Call for Biblical Clarity
The current border crisis is not merely a political issue—it is a moral and biblical issue. God is a God of justice and order. He established nations, borders, and laws. A government that fails to enforce its laws fails in its God-ordained purpose.
As Christians, we can and should have compassion for those who seek a better life, but compassion does not mean lawlessness. The rule of law must be upheld. President Trump’s enforcement of immigration law is not only constitutional and necessary but entirely biblical.
To reject the enforcement of border laws is to reject the biblical principle of national sovereignty, the responsibility of government, and the command to uphold justice.
It is time for Bible-believing Christians to reject the emotional manipulation of the left and stand for both justice and mercy—by supporting lawful immigration, legal deportations, and a secure nation. America First is not just a slogan—it is actually a biblical principle.