To understand how viciously MAGA world — including evangelical Christians — has turned against immigrants of all kinds, consider the plight of Phil Vischer.
You probably know him as the creator of the “Veggie Tales” videos for kids or maybe as host of the “Holy Post” podcast. He’s an evangelical himself but he’s not a supporter of what Donald Trump has done to conservatism.
Phil Vischer
On Sunday, Vischer posted on X a link to a statement from Myal Greene, president of World Relief, about the “dire” situation arising from Trump’s executive orders shutting down aid for refugees.
At 3:45 p.m. on Friday, January 24, we were notified that all government funded activities serving almost 4,000 of our refugee clients here in the U.S. must cease effective immediately. This means families who have been promised refuge and life-saving services in our neighborhoods and communities are now at risk of going hungry and homeless. Your donations are now the only way we can provide basic assistance in the form of food, shelter, transportation, and other essential support services.
While we are still trying to grapple with the consequences of this order and urgently seeking further clarity from the government, one thing is clear. Together, we are now the only lifeline for the hundreds of families devastated by this announcement.
The circumstances are dire, and refugee families need your help right now.
Over the coming days we will be sharing more information with you about what exactly this means for the thousands of refugees we currently serve here in the U.S.
For now, we urgently and humbly request that you give generously and join us in praying, Lord, have mercy.
As a reminder, World Relief and most of the largest entities facilitating refugee resettlement in the United States are faith-based. They work with well-vetted refugees — who are different than “illegal immigrants” — out of a biblical conviction this is what Jesus calls them to do.
And now, they are getting slammed by other professing Christians — and Trump world — for being money-grubbing opportunists. Vice President JD Vance is leading the charge on this attack, as evidenced by his comments Sunday morning on “Face the Nation” where he dissed his own church, the Roman Catholics, for enriching itself while claiming to care about refugees.
Soon after Vance’s TV appearance, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a not-so-veiled response.
Soon after Vance’s TV appearance, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a not-so-veiled response:
Faithful to the teaching of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church has a long history of serving refugees. In 1980, the bishops of the United States began partnering with the federal government to carry out this service when Congress created the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Every person resettled through USRAP is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States. In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs. Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the church.
But back to Phil Vischer’s Sunday post on X. Here’s a sampling of the online responses he got just for posting a link to the statement from Word Relief about the “dire” situation of vetted refugees:
- “The only thing that has been dire is fools like you assisting sat@n in the destruction of the American church and aiding and abetting the fall of the West.”
- “Curious — did the Bible feel globalization was good? If you answer correctly then why should we concern ourselves with a world relief statement.”
- “It’s not America’s job to solve the world’s problems, Phil … but if the other countries in the world became Christian nations, maybe they’d have fewer problems.”
- “Did World Relief help fund the caravans and convoys that brought the faux refugees here against the will of the populace? If so, they need to provide same for their return home.”
- “They’re not refugees. They’re illegal aliens.”
- “A lot of these people have families back in their home country who can support them. They have lied in order to get asylum just to come get a free ride and then good jobs in America. But send your personal donations where you think best.”
- “Why the F are all of the world’s problems the responsibility of US taxpayers? We are sick of it. No one ever comes to help us with disasters.”
Granted, X is the Wild West of crazy today, but these comments still reflect the viewpoint of Trump’s supporters who not only do not understand the difference between a “refugee” and an “illegal immigrant” but do not care.
Which caused Vischer to come back later with this update: “A helpful note for the angry and under-informed: The Refugee Resettlement Program just defunded by Trump has nothing to do with the southern border or illegal immigration. These are two different conversations.”
Related articles:
Catholic leaders and JD Vance spar over immigration doctrine
‘Laken Riley Act’ sets the stage for Trump campaign against immigrants
Here’s a rundown of Trump’s ‘day one’ immigration actions
Advocates reeling as Trump shuts down legal refugee entry