Some of the most vocal antagonists of the Trump administration’s attempts to rein in illegal immigration have come from men and women of the cloth. Last Friday, about 100 clergy members protesting deportation flights were arrested during a peaceful sit-in at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Episcopal bishops in New Hampshire and Minnesota recently exhorted their flocks to be prepared even for death in order to protect vulnerable illegal immigrants.
In one sense, you can appreciate why priests, pastors, rabbis, and other clerics might feel called to intervene on behalf of illegal immigrants targeted by ICE raids in various communities across our country. The Democrats and corporate media have conducted a relentless campaign (falsely) portraying immigration authorities as heartless fascists brutalizing helpless immigrants and separating children from their families. But in truth, it’s not federal law enforcement but deluded activist clerics in need of a “come to Jesus” moment.