Interfaith Friday #3: Immigration and the Right to Worship: Faith Under Fire at the Border

Under new 2025 immigration enforcement directives, several religious leaders who offered sanctuary or aid to undocumented immigrants are now facing legal threats. The crackdown not only targets migrants—it criminalizes the compassion extended by clergy and laypeople alike.

Sister Maria Elena, a Catholic nun in Arizona, was recently fined for sheltering a family facing deportation. “I answer to God first,” she says. “We are commanded to welcome the stranger.”

These actions have sparked backlash from interfaith groups defending religious freedom and humanitarian action. Their message is clear: sanctuary is sacred.

Sources:

• National Sanctuary Collective

• Interfaith Immigration Coalition