American evangelicals have complex perspectives on immigration and wish a nuanced political response, but most want Congress to act soon.
A Lifeway Research study sponsored by the Evangelical Immigration Table found evangelicals are increasingly concerned concerning the variety of recent immigrants to the US but still consider Christians have a responsibility to care for many who are within the country illegally. While most wish to secure the border to forestall additional illegal immigration, evangelicals also advocate for a path to citizenship for those already within the country.
“While many evangelicals fear that our nation is harmed by the amount of recent immigrants, more feel responsible to indicate compassion,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “The urgency continues to grow amongst evangelicals for Congress to act this 12 months to enhance laws around immigration.”
Many evangelicals have a negative perception of the recent variety of immigrants to the United States. Half (50%) say they’re a drain on economic resources. More than a 3rd see the number as a threat to the protection of residents (37%) and a threat to law and order (37%), while 28 percent say they’re a threat to traditional American customs and culture.
Yet, a big percentage of evangelicals see the number coming to the country as a possibility and even an improvement. Two in 5 evangelicals say the variety of immigrants presents a possibility to introduce them to Jesus Christ (40%) and to indicate them love (39%). Around 1 / 4 (26%) consider immigrants represent an improvement to America’s cultural diversity, and 14 percent say they’re a lift to entrepreneurial activity.
“It shouldn’t be surprising that the share of evangelicals who consider that the arrival of immigrants presents an economic challenge or a threat to safety or order has increased, given each very real issues on the US-Mexico border lately and the massive variety of migrants reaching American cities where they’re legally barred from working, providing for themselves and contributing economically,” said Matthew Soerens, national coordinator of the Evangelical Immigration Table.
“But it’s also necessary to notice that ‘threat’ and ‘opportunity’ responses will not be mutually exclusive. There are many evangelicals who each consider there are economic challenges related to immigration and see the arrival of immigrants as an evangelistic opportunity.”
The study surveyed each self-identified evangelicals and people who qualify as an evangelical based on key theological beliefs. Self-identified evangelicals are increasingly concerned concerning the variety of recent immigrants.
While 33 percent saw them as an economic drain in a 2022 Lifeway Research study, 49 percent feel that way now. The percentage who sees the recent number as threatening can be on the rise, with the share of those saying immigrants are a threat to safety climbing from 32 percent to 38 percent and people saying immigrants are a threat to law and order growing from 30 percent to 37%.
Additionally, fewer see the number as a possibility to indicate love (down from 46 percent to 38%), an improvement to cultural diversity (33 percent to 26%) or a lift to entrepreneurship (18 percent to 14%).
Still, when asked about legal immigration, 80 percent of evangelicals consider it is useful, and around 3 in 5 say we should always no less than keep the present variety of approved legal immigrants. Specifically, 23 percent say legal immigration is useful to the US and we should always increase the variety of legal immigrants approved in a 12 months.
More than a 3rd (36%) consider it is useful and we should always maintain the present number approved. Another 21 percent say it is useful but we should always decrease those approved. Meanwhile, around 1 in 5 consider legal immigration is harmful, including 13 percent who say we should always decrease the number approved and seven percent who consider we should always completely stop approving legal immigrants.
“Few evangelicals are fascinated about closing the door to immigrants. Rather a big majority support legal immigration,” said McConnell. “Growing fears concerning the recent volume of immigrants were voiced the month after media reports of extremely high immigration numbers in December.”
Personal and political response
Evangelicals consider each they and the US as a complete have responsibilities regarding immigrants entering our country. More than half (55%) say Christians have a responsibility to help immigrants even in the event that they are here illegally, while 70 percent say followers of Jesus have a responsibility to care sacrificially for refugees and other foreigners. Additionally, evangelicals consider the US has an ethical responsibility to just accept refugees (71%) and specifically refugees fleeing persecution (72%). An analogous number support laws that will allow Afghan allies evacuated by the US military to use for everlasting status after vetting (75%).
“Large numbers of evangelicals accept responsibility throughout the Christian community to look after refugees, and a majority feel the identical about caring for immigrants here illegally,” said McConnell. “Many evangelicals don’t consider our nation has the choice of turning our back on those fleeing persecution.”
Thinking about national responsibilities, greater than 3 in 4 evangelicals (77%) say it will be significant that Congress passes significant latest immigration laws in 2024. Among self-identified evangelicals, the share of those that view passing latest laws to deal with immigration this 12 months is higher now (78%) than those that said the identical in 2022 (71%) and 2015 (68%).
Within that laws, evangelicals have priorities they consider needs to be reflected. Around 9 in 10 say they support potential immigration laws that respects the rule of law (93%), ensures fairness to taxpayers (93%), respects the God-given dignity of all and sundry (91%), protects the unity of the immediate family (91%) and guarantees secure national borders (91%).
Additionally, 3 in 4 (75%) support laws that establishes a path toward citizenship for many who are here illegally, have an interest and meet certain qualifications for citizenship. Each of those has similar levels of support amongst self-identified evangelicals in comparison with 2022 but higher levels than in a 2015 Lifeway Research study.
When asked about changes to current immigration law, 78 percent of evangelicals say they’d support changes to immigration laws that will each increase border security and establish a process for many who are currently within the US illegally to earn legal status and apply for citizenship in the event that they pay a superb, pass a criminal background check and complete other requirements during a probationary period. Around 2 in 3 (65%) say they’d be more more likely to vote for a candidate who supported an immigration law that did each.
Additionally, 80 percent would specifically support bipartisan immigration reform that strengthens border security, establishes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who got here to the US as children (commonly known as “Dreamers”) and provides a reliable variety of screened, legal farmworkers.
“Evangelicals’ approach to public policy solutions has not modified significantly,” said Soerens, who also serves because the vice chairman for advocacy and policy at World Relief. “The overwhelming majority want policies that ensure secure borders, treat all individuals with dignity, protect family unity, allow immigrants who’re unlawfully present to earn everlasting legal status and eventual citizenship and make sure the US stays a refuge for those fleeing persecution.”
Immigration influence
Two in 3 US evangelicals (66%) say they’re acquainted with what the Bible teaches about how immigrants needs to be treated. They also point to the Bible as considered one of the highest influences for his or her considering on immigration.
1 / 4 of evangelicals (26%) say the Bible has influenced their perspective on the subject greater than some other source. Fewer point to the media (15%), immigrants they’ve observed (13%), family and friends (12%) and immigrants they’ve interacted with (11%). Even fewer say they’re most affected on immigration by the positions of elected officials (6%), their local church (4%), national Christian leaders (2%) and teachers or professors (2%).
When asked to discover their top three influences, family and friends (45%) moves to the highest. Slightly fewer point to the Bible (43%) and immigrants they’ve observed (40%). Around a 3rd place the media (36%) and immigrants they’ve interacted with (32%) of their top three influencers. Fewer say the positions of elected officials (28%), their local church (22%), national Christian leaders (14%) and teachers or professors (10%).
There has been loads of movement amongst who has influence on evangelical views on immigration. The largest growth amongst self-identified evangelicals has been the number indicating the Bible has been most influential. It has grown from 12 percent in 2015 to 21 percent in 2022 and 26 percent in 2024.
Half of evangelicals have had the chance to interact with and observe immigrants inside their congregation, as 51 percent say their church has no less than some first-generation immigrants. Additionally, some evangelicals are immigrants themselves. One in 5 are either first- or second-generation immigrants. Almost 1 in 10 US evangelicals (8%) was born outside of the United States, and 12 percent are the youngsters of no less than one parent born outside of the country.
Church involvement
For some evangelicals, the church provided them with personal experience meeting and serving immigrants. Three in 10 (31%) say they’ve heard immigration discussed at their local church in a way that encouraged outreach to immigrants of their community. Twice as many (60%) say that was not the case.
Around 1 in 3 (32%) say their church currently has a ministry or outreach that serves refugees or other immigrants, while 39 percent say no and 29 percent aren’t sure. Additionally, 34 percent say they’ve been involved in such a ministry, 13 percent currently and 21 percent prior to now. Two in 3 (66%) haven’t participated.
Whether or not they’re actively involved in ministry to immigrants, evangelicals would really like to listen to more about it from their churches. More than 4 in 5 (82%) say they’d value hearing a sermon that teaches how biblical principles and examples could be applied to immigration within the US Among self-identified evangelicals, 81 percent would value hearing such a sermon. That’s higher than in 2022 (77%) and 2015 (68%).
“While lower than one-third of evangelicals say they’ve heard immigration discussed of their church context, 82 percent say they would really like to listen to a biblically-focused sermon on this timely topic,” said Soerens. “Pastors who may fear that a biblical message on the theme of immigration could also be divisive in an election 12 months should know that their persons are hungry for discipleship. In the absence of pastoral leadership, nevertheless, most are still primarily influenced by extra-biblical sources.”
