A former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a leader in the denomination’s “conservative resurgence” told his Houston megachurch Feb. 25 migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border are “undesirables, “garbage” and “raff.” Roaming back and forth on a stage adorned…
Texas attorney general sets off religious liberty alarms by attacking a Catholic charity in El Paso
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s effort to shutter a Catholic nonprofit helping migrants in El Paso is intended to intimidate other church-based groups engaged in compassionate ministries throughout the state, immigration advocates say. This week, Paxton filed suit against Annunciation…
Ecumenical group gathers at border wall to share Communion and demonstrate unity
An ecumenical network of Caribbean, Latin American and U.S. religious groups expanded its commitment to serving migrants throughout the region during a four-day gathering in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Ruben Ortiz, Latino field ministries coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, served…
Anti-immigrant frenzy creates dangerous situation at U.S. border, advocates warn
Anti-immigrant bigotry is reaching a frenzied pitch as Texas continues to defy a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that grants U.S. border agents permission to remove razor wire Gov. Greg Abbott has erected along portions of the Rio Grande. Abbott has…
Immigration advocates offer blistering assessment of Senate immigration bill
Immigrant rights groups responded mostly with blistering condemnations to a new U.S. Senate supplemental funding plan that proposes major changes to U.S. immigration and asylum policies in exchange for military aid to Ukraine and Israel. While the $118 billion measure…
Pastors and politicians slam DeSantis for luring immigrants from a church to be sent out of state
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost pulled no punches in criticizing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for hiring private companies to distribute migrant relocation flyers at an Orlando-area church that serves immigrants. Titled “Welcome to my bright horizon,” the brochures promised immigrants of…
Report highlights the good and bad of Biden administration’s immigration record
Amid the backdrop of a historically turbulent period of hemispheric and global migration, President Joe Biden has issued more orders on immigration since taking office than Donald Trump did during his entire presidency, according to a new report. “By taking…
Fellowship Southwest joins bridge walk to draw attention to broken asylum system
A procession of ecumenical walkers supporting asylum rights offered prayers and solidarity for migrants and a shot in the arm for weary immigration advocates last weekend at the Texas-Mexico border. “It was encouraging to my faith and to my work…
What Bob Menendez, Donald Trump, Joe Biden and immigration have to do with Cuba’s troubling times
“Bob, I gotta to talk to you about Cuba,” President Biden said to Sen. Bob Menéndez (D-N.J.), then chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, following the chief executive’s State of the Union address last February. “I’m serious.” The remarks, caught…