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Advent Welcome: Immigration Solidarity Initiative
We are honored to share the launch of our national Advent Welcome: Immigration Solidarity Initiative, "Room In The Inn."
As Evangelicals, we affirm that Scripture calls us to welcome, to show compassion, and to extend Christ-shaped hospitality. During Advent, we remember that our Savior entered the world through a family facing displacement, rejection, and uncertainty. The incarnation itself is God’s declaration that human dignity is of the utmost importance. This movement is Biblical, Gospel-centered, pastoral, and non-partisan, rooted in the life of Christ.
Highlight of our work and resources on immigration:
Immigration Principles: A Biblical and Evangelical Framework
Immigration is not only a matter of public policy; it is a profoundly moral and biblical concern. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture commands God’s people to love the stranger, defend family unity, and pursue justice with compassion.
For more than a decade — spanning multiple U.S. presidencies (Obama, Trump, Biden and now the current administration) — the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) has consistently advocated for just and comprehensive immigration reform. From testifying before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in 2015, to supporting Deferred Action policies in 2012, to organizing pastors and congregations nationwide today, NaLEC has remained a consistent evangelical voice for policies that reflect both mercy and accountability.
We are honored to be a principal organization of the Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT) and to have helped author the very principles that guide evangelicals nationally on this issue. These commitments are rooted not in politics, but in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
A Biblical Narrative of Immigration
Immigration is woven throughout the biblical story:
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Abraham and Sarah were called by God to leave their homeland and go to a land they did not know (Genesis 12:1). Their faith journey began as migrants.
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Israel knew what it meant to be “strangers in Egypt” (Exodus 22:21; Deuteronomy 10:19). This experience became the foundation for God’s repeated command to love and protect the foreigner.
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Ruth the Moabite became part of the people of God through hospitality and faithfulness (Ruth 1:16).
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The prophets reminded God’s people that mistreating the foreigner was a sin (Jeremiah 7:5–7; Malachi 3:5).
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Jesus himself was a refugee when his family fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s violence (Matthew 2:13–15).
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The early church broke down walls of division, teaching that in Christ “you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people” (Ephesians 2:19).
From beginning to end, Scripture shows that God’s people are called to remember their own history of migration, to welcome the stranger, and to build communities where justice and mercy walk together.
Our Principles
In partnership with the Evangelical Immigration Table, NaLEC affirms and promotes these six principles for immigration reform. These are the exact principles we helped write and continue to defend:
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Respects the God-given dignity of every person
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Protects the unity of the immediate family
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Respects the rule of law
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Guarantees secure national borders
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Ensures fairness to taxpayers
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Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents
Each principle is both biblical and practical. They reflect God’s call to justice (Micah 6:8), compassion (Matthew 25:35), and order (Romans 13).
Our Language Matters
Scripture warns that “the tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). As followers of Christ, we reject terms such as “illegals” or “invaders.” Such language violates the biblical truth that every person bears God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Instead, we commit to speech that reflects grace and dignity (Ephesians 4:29).
Our Record of Advocacy & Mobilization
NaLEC’s voice on immigration has been steady across administrations:
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Obama Administration (2009–2016): Supported Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012; urged Congress for comprehensive immigration reform; responded pastorally to the border humanitarian crisis involving unaccompanied minors in 2014.
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Trump Administration (2017–2020): Opposed family separation and rhetoric of mass deportation; testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (2015); mobilized pastors and congregations nationwide to advocate for humane and biblically rooted solutions.
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Biden Administration (2021–present):
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Advocated for the renewal and protection of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants lawfully in the U.S.
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Raised public concerns about reports of immigration enforcement in churches, schools, and hospitals, defending religious liberty and family unity.
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Co-sponsored the 2025 Evangelical Views on Immigration Study with Lifeway Research to provide pastors and policymakers with reliable data.
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Joined the 2025 Evangelical Immigration Table Agenda to press Congress and the Administration for balanced reforms that unite security with compassion.
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For more than a decade, NaLEC has discipled pastors, mobilized congregations, and spoken to policymakers, ensuring that Latino evangelicals’ biblical perspective is heard clearly in Washington and across the nation.
For more than a decade, NaLEC has discipled pastors, mobilized congregations, and spoken to policymakers, ensuring that Latino evangelicals’ biblical perspective is heard clearly in Washington and across the nation.
Our immigration framework is unashamedly biblical and practical. It seeks the flourishing of families, churches, and communities; it upholds law and order with compassion; and it charts a way—from fear and fragmentation—toward dignity, safety, and belonging. Together with our partners in the Evangelical Immigration Table, we will continue to pray, disciple, and advocate for reforms that reflect the heart of Christ.
Learn more at evangelicalimmigrationtable.com/about.
Our Record of Advocacy & Mobilization
2010
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Washington Post (On Faith – Guest Voices) — NaLEC publicly critiqued Arizona SB 1070 as contrary to Christian neighbor-love; early national evangelical pushback on “attrition through enforcement.”
2013
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White House – Oval Office meetings (Faith leaders) — President Obama and Vice President Biden met with faith leaders, including NaLEC, urging action on commonsense immigration reform.
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Evangelical Immigration Table Advocacy in DC — NaLEC joined Evangelical leaders in “Americans for Reform” on Capitol Hill; 80+ congressional meetings, press events, and a prayer walk for reform.
2014
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TIME (Ideas/Op-Ed) — “Evangelicals Must Take the Reins on Immigration Reform.” NaLEC/Salguero urged evangelicals to lead a humane, bipartisan fix, emphasizing family unity and compassion.
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National coverage of White House faith meetings — NaLEC amplified the evangelical case for immigration reform in mainstream media following meetings with the President.
2015
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Obama Administration Appointment — Rev. Dr. Salguero was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, advising the White House on poverty, family unity, and immigration.
2018
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Washington Post (Acts of Faith) — NaLEC condemned the misuse of Scripture to defend family separation, stressing the Bible’s pro-family ethic and opposing separations at the border.
2020
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Washington Post (Politics/Religion) — Reporting on Latino evangelicals in Florida and nationally, NaLEC/Salguero was quoted on immigration’s salience and the pastoral realities faced in Latino churches.
2022
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EIT + Lifeway Research Study — National research co-sponsored by NaLEC documented evangelical support for both border security and an earned path to citizenship; used by pastors and policymakers nationwide.
2023
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EIT Florida Advocacy — NaLEC and partners challenged Florida SB 1718, warning it would chill religious ministry and care for immigrants, defending religious liberty and pastoral work.
2024
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Religion News Service — NaLEC/Salguero warned that allowing immigration raids at churches would send “a deep chill” through Latino evangelical congregations, defending the sanctity of worship spaces.
2025
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EIT Agenda & Public Statements (Jan–Apr 2025) — NaLEC signed and helped drive Evangelical Immigration Table actions:
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Agenda to Congress/Administration: secure borders with humane legalization path.
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Religious Freedom Letter: defending churches, schools, and hospitals as sensitive locations.
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TPS/Humanitarian Protections Letter: calling for protection of immigrants with legal humanitarian status.
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Fox News Digital (Feb 2025) — NaLEC opposed ICE raids at churches, affirming deportation for violent offenders but advocating humane treatment of families; trained congregations in calm, rights-respecting responses.
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Religion News Service (Jan & Jul 2025) — Coverage highlighted NaLEC organizing churches to address misinformation and fear, while pressing for policy reforms.
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Washington Post (May 2025) — NaLEC’s role noted in national coverage of Florida enforcement sweeps, as part of the faith response ecosystem.
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EIT Statement (Jul 2025) — NaLEC/Salguero supported the Dignity Act as a bipartisan path forward combining orderly borders with dignity for long-term immigrants.
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EIT Op-Ed (Jan 2025) — “Why Immigration Reform Can’t Wait: An Evangelical View.” NaLEC/Salguero urged leaders to act, framing reform as essential for family and community stability.
