Report: Most Migrants at Risk of Deportation are Christian

Is the U.S. about to become a less Christian nation? A surprising new report found that the vast majority of migrants at risk of deportation under President Trump’s sweeping new immigration policies follow the Christian faith. 

The report, organized by World Relief and co-authored by prominent religious organizations like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals, concludes that should President Trump succeed in his immigration goals, millions of Christians will be deported.

Now, report authors are sounding the alarm, alleging the aggressive new immigration policies will not only rip faithful families apart, but could contribute to the decline of Christianity in the United States.

Deporting Christianity

Titled “One Part of the Body: The Potential Impact of Deportations on American Christian Families,” the report shows that some 10 million undocumented Christians are at risk of deportation from the United States. The report says that another 7 million Christians – most of them spouses and minor children sharing a household with undocumented immigrants – would also be directly affected by those deportations.

“We’re sounding the alarm that all American Christians need to be aware of what’s being proposed,” said report author Matthew Soerens. “Our prayer with this report is that American Christians will recognize that these proposed deportations, to whatever extent they ultimately become a reality, are not just a policy issue but a dynamic that will impact us, followers of Jesus who were knit together in unity under Christ.”

Upon taking office earlier this year, President Trump made immigration one of his highest priorities. His aggressive stance on deporting undocumented immigrants has at times drawn ire even from evangelicals, who widely supported him. Just a few months ago, he directed immigration officials to raid Spanish-language churches, prompting backlash from some supporters.

Unforeseen Consequences?

Report authors hope to raise awareness that President Trump’s immigration policies may have widespread – and potentially unforeseen – implications for Christianity in the United States. 

The report shows that 18% of Catholics, 6% of evangelicals, and 3% of other Christian groups (representing 8% of all Christians in the country) are vulnerable to deportation or live with someone vulnerable. Considering Christianity is already on the decline in the United States, losing an additional ten million Christians could be catastrophic for Christianity’s cultural influence, critics say.

“If even a fraction of those vulnerable to deportation are actually deported, the ramifications are profound — for those individuals, of course, but also for their U.S.-citizen family members and, because when one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it, for all Christians,” the report reads.

“We want churches to grow, and… the administration’s mass deportation policies and congressional support of that would be, in fact, a church decline strategy, removing millions from active membership of churches,” explained Walter Kim, head of the National Association of Evangelicals. Kim suggests that most Trump-supporting Christians may not fully understand the impact his policies may have on their faith.

Should President Trump deport as many undocumented immigrants as he hopes, the consequences for Christianity may be dire.

What do you think? If millions of Christians are deported under Trump, what would the impact on faith in America be?