Assignment Task:
Respond in 250 words APA 7th ed in-text and bibliography
Current events in the United States regarding former President Trump's immigration policies, specifically concerning mass deportation, reveal a troubling trend of racism targeting Latinos, whether they are immigrants or U.S.-born citizens. Trump has framed his deportation efforts as a matter of national security, claiming that the courts hinder his ability to expel criminals. Political analysts, as noted by Nagel (2025), often describe Trump's actions as extraordinary and a departure from established American political norms.
Now more than ever, Christian churches in America should uphold their role as sanctuaries for immigrants seeking refuge from the racist political tactics directed against them based on skin color or ethnicity. These churches provide essential shelter and protection to persecuted immigrants through a network of over a thousand organizations nationwide (Sánchez Bayón & Sánchez Barricarte, 2022). They advocate for immigrants facing deportation or legal hurdles, ensuring that low-income communities receive the necessary aid and resources to thrive. According to Sánchez Bayón and Sánchez Barricarte (2022), their efforts encompass providing shelter, medical care, English language instruction, transportation, job placement assistance, and more.
The changes in immigration policy under the Trump administration have raised alarms within faith communities. The revocation of policies that previously restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, such as churches, has heightened fears of potential raids. Nagel (2025) indicates that this troubling pattern is likely to continue throughout Trump's second term, with greater restrictions on legal immigration and increased efforts to discourage, detain, and deport unauthorized immigrants and other groups deemed undesirable.
In the ongoing struggle surrounding Latino immigration and deportation in America, churches cannot maintain a constructive relationship with the government while the President engages in racially charged attacks against Latinos and tears families apart. Theological perspectives in the United States highlight numerous scriptural passages that not only affirm the concept of sanctuary but also promote it as a moral obligation and act of charity (Sánchez Bayón & Sánchez Barricarte, 2022). This resistance to oppressive policies invites backlash from the state, yet churches have increasingly stood by immigrant families, offering support and opposing deportation efforts. The Bible calls for advocacy and justice, especially during politically tumultuous times: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of fatherless; plead the case of the widow" (New International Version, 2011, Isaiah 1:17). Need Assignment Help?
References:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1973).
Nagel, C. (2025). Immigration policy in the second Trump administration: Restriction, removal, and the limits of MAGA nativism. The Geographical Journal, e70015.
Sánchez Bayón, A., & Sánchez Barricarte, J. J. (2022). US Political Economy on migrants-citizens relations: State-raids vs. Church-sanctuaries (charity re-privatization). Perichoresis, 20(4), 3-25.