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Christians should look at our crime-ridden immigration system with disgust, not align with the pipeline that keeps it going.
"Taxpayers Spent Over $1 Billion Facilitating The Migrant Pipeline Via Religious ‘Charities’ In 2024," according to The Federalist.
In fiscal year 2024 alone, the U.S. government spent more than $2.7 billion on “refugee and entrant assistance” programs, and more than $1 billion went to nonprofits connected to four major Christian denominations: Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, and the United Methodist Church.
Those staggering numbers only skim the surface of the complicated funding web supporting immigration through multiple federal offices, with contracts and grants given to state and local governments and secular and faith-based nonprofits, including other denominations not mentioned above.
Be informed, not misled.
Normally, religious nonprofits rely on donors who expect to see their money used to solve social ills. However, when an increase in the problem (in this case, more refugees in need of financial and other assistance) means more government cash, “charities” are incentivized to show a need for more taxpayer funds by keeping the problem unsolved.
Data from usaspending.gov shows that the problem has gotten worse. Most nonprofits serving immigrants saw year-over-year increases in funding during President Joe Biden’s term. This is something donors would not tolerate. The government should let taxpayers decide whether they want to continue supporting a nonprofit infrastructure that places migrants around the United States.
President Donald Trump is changing the immigration landscape, cutting funding from these programs, and sending illegal aliens back to their home countries. He aims to stamp out criminal coyote networks that sneak thousands of unvetted illegal aliens into the United States and to hobble the deadly drug cartels that supply U.S. addiction.
Illegal immigration has become an industry.
Immigration attorney Barbara Graham of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Refugee & Immigration Services recently released a video offering advice for how migrants can slow officials investigating their workplace.
The New York Post says, "A Catholic charity that receives billions in government funding has stirred controversy for a video teaching migrants in the country illegally how to evade US immigration law."
In the video, distributed by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Refugee & Immigration Services Program, immigration attorney Barbara Graham outlines step-by-step instructions for how migrants can thwart authorities conducting lawful investigations at their workplace.
“Do not panic, and do not run away. If you are frightened and feel like you need to leave, you can calmly walk toward the exit,” Graham advised.
“If you are stopped, you may ask if you are free to leave. If the officer says no, do not try to exit the building. If you are questioned, you may tell them you want to remain silent,” she continued.
She further suggested that illegal immigrants should stonewall authorities by refusing to answer questions, including where they were born or how they got into the US.
The organization said 638,000 people have received immigration help from one of the group’s 119 affiliates.
In the legal advice video, Graham offered the tip that illegal immigrants being questioned by authorities can simply “refuse to show identify documents,” refuse to say what country they are from, and refuse to sign any paperwork without first demanding a pro-bono attorney.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) called for Catholic Charities USA to be defunded in a post on X in which he flagged DOGE, President Trump’s newly minted Department of Government Efficiency.
In a follow-up statement to The Post, Burchett took aim at the charitable group for playing politics on the immigrant crisis.
The resistance
“These nongovernmental organizations and Catholic charities have pushed a mind-blowing number of illegals into our country over the past four years. It’s happening on both sides of the border. They’re using your tax dollars, and they’re not doing anybody any favors,” he said.
He added: “Our priority should be finding the 300,000-plus kids these NGOs and Catholic charities lost, not giving legal advice to people who broke the law and are inside the US illegally.”
Speaking on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” in his first interview since becoming vice president, JD Vance questioned the motives of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops — the “largest refugee resettlement agency in the world” — which has “condemned” Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.
“I think the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has, frankly, not been a good partner in common-sense immigration enforcement that the American people voted for, and I hope, again, as a devout Catholic, that they’ll do better,” Vance told host Margaret Brennan.
“I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?” he asked pointedly.
“We’re going to enforce immigration law. We’re going to protect the American people,” he vowed.
The Catholic Bishops in Michigan wrote a statement in opposition to Trump’s immigration reforms in which they called for protection of illegal aliens.
“We urge our elected officials to support policies that keep immigrant and undocumented families safe and united, and to protect those who arrived as children,” the statement said.
The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA was awarded $59.7 million in 2024 for refugee and entrant assistance and unaccompanied minors. Knowing this, it makes sense that Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde used her recent time in the pulpit in front of Trump to blast him and his policies to stop the flow of illegals into our country.
The Board of Childcare of the United Methodist Church was awarded $36.4 million in 2024 to administer refugee and unaccompanied children programs, provide long-term shelter, or arrange foster care. The Immigration Law & Justice Network, funded through the United Methodist Committee on Relief, provides legal help for immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers. It put out a Jan. 21statement saying Trump’s policies “vilify immigrants.”
Takeaway
Christians should look at this crime-ridden system with disgust, not align with the pipeline that keeps it going. If we stop making America so attractive, would-be immigrants won’t risk the dangerous journey of coming here illegally.
The Trump administration is trying to end the crime and entitlements connected to unfettered immigration. Churches should support that, not try to undermine it.
As high sounding as the immigration industry is to these Leftist churches, they should align themselves with biblical teaching, not the babble of the Leftists and the globalists.
In II Corinthians 11:13-15, Paul writes,
"For such are false apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.