“We will protect Christians in our schools, in our military, in our government, in our workplaces, hospitals, and in our public squares,” When President Trump took office a year ago, he promised to protect Christians. He claimed Christians were a persecuted group of people, and he was their protector.

Yet, the greatest persecutor of Christians today in this country, is the Trump Administration. ICE agents routinely harass Christian churches. They stage in parking lots, badger families taking their children to daycare, and have invaded Spanish Worship services. Churches have had to monitor parking lots to protect families coming for worship. Christian leaders are tear gassed as they walk the neighborhood around their churches. Far from Christians protected in schools and workplaces, ICE agents park nearby and intimidate staff in churches, schools, hospitals and workplaces.

In the great web of detainment centers, are Christians who fled other countries, seeking asylum in the United States. Asylum seekers who were granted work permits while their cases went through the courts, are now detained. Religious leaders have  had to fight the Trump Administration in court, so they can provide spiritual care for their immigrant members.

Conditions in detention centers are notoriously bad.   So bad that congressional delegations have difficulty getting into facilities to see conditions for themselves. These private detention centers, housing thousands of people, without adequate facilities are hotbeds of disease. The Dilly Detention Center in Texas, which holds only families where no one has a criminal background, is noted for having worms in its food, bad water and sick children not getting necessary medical care. While Christian immigrants are not alone in being persecuted by ICE agents, they are the majority.

The ongoing detention of people lawfully here, is contrary to every Christian principle, of compassion, mercy, and love for the stranger. It is antithetical to the Christian faith. Which is part of the reason why so many churches and faith leaders across country, are some of the loudest voices, protesting this administration’s persecution of immigrants, denial of individual liberties, and protections guaranteed in our Constitution.

Throughout the scriptures, compassion for the stranger, the alien, the wayfarer and the immigrant is demanded.

“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34

The Interfaith Alliance has tracked mistreatment of both Christians and those of other faith backgrounds since President Trump took office.  This is their report:   One Year of The Trump Administration’s Attacks on Faith Communities and Abuse of Religion

 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.”   Hebrews: 13:2