DHS Faces Backlash for Citing Scripture
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DHS Faces Backlash for Citing Scripture
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has responded to criticism over its social media campaign, which included Bible verses in immigration enforcement videos.
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From the Christian Post: As part of a revamped social media strategy, DHS shared two overtly Christian-themed videos on its channels this summer, drawing the ire of some interfaith leaders who say the campaign ignores the Bible’s calls for mercy and compassion.
The first video from July featured a montage of military-style officers preparing to embark on a mission as they load their weapons and equipment over a pulsing electronic soundtrack.
The post included a caption reading, “TO EVERY CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN IN AMERICA: Darkness is no longer your ally. You represent an existential threat to the citizens of the United States, and US Border Patrol’s Special Operations Group will stop at nothing to hunt you down.”
TO EVERY CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN IN AMERICA:
Darkness is no longer your ally. You represent an existential threat to the citizens of the United States, and US Border Patrol’s Special Operations Group will stop at nothing to hunt you down. pic.twitter.com/Ts4Cnjp70n
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 28, 2025
Over the footage, the text of Proverbs 28:1 fades in: “The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
A second clip released earlier this month of tactical agents in helicopters with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem includes an audio segment from the 2014 movie “Fury,” in which Shia LaBeouf’s character, Boyd “Bible” Swan, quotes from the book of Isaiah. Spoken in the character’s Southern drawl, LaBeouf says, “Here’s a Bible verse I think about sometimes. Many times.”
The character then quotes from Isaiah 6:8: “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Here am I. Send me.”
After receiving both praise and backlash for the campaign, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin released a statement on Tuesday, accusing the media of spending “more time covering DHS social media posts of paintings and art than covering the stories of the American victims whose lives have been destroyed by criminal illegal aliens.”
“This gutter state of ‘journalism’ does a disservice to the American people,” McLaughlin said. “Every single day Americans are killed by illegal aliens who should have never been in this country. And nearly every single day the media ignore these victims.”
McLaughlin cited several recent cases, such as the sentencing of an illegal immigrant from El Salvador in the murder of Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five who was raped and killed in August 2023. Authorities say Victor Martinez-Hernandez entered the U.S. illegally and was released in 2023 under the Biden administration.
“Where is the media’s obsession with our social media posts on Rachel Morin’s killer being sentenced to life in prison?” McLaughlin asked.
While DHS claims its social media strategy, reaching over 40 million Americans weekly, is a direct line to the public, bypassing what it calls media efforts to “throttle the truth,” critics such as progressive Christian activist and speaker Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, vice president of programs at Interfaith Alliance, accuse the agency of “blasphemously” exploiting Scripture for political purposes.
“The Trump administration’s draconian deportation regime’s defending such evil with Bible verses is a recent example of this timeless tradition,” Graves-Fitzsimmons, a senior fellow at the George Soros-funded liberal think tank Center for American Progress, wrote.
DHS’s use of Scripture, including a post featuring the “American Progress” painting tied to Manifest Destiny, Graves-Fitzsimmons says, is a “confession of moral bankruptcy” and misaligns with biblical values of compassion for immigrants. He cited 92 Old Testament references to the Hebrew word for immigrant.
The DHS campaign appears to be timed to coincide with the agency’s stated goal of hiring 10,000 additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, authorized by a July 4 megabill signed into law. According to Fox News, DHS said it had received over 80,000 applicants as of early August.
Coalition groups, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the American Baptist Churches USA, the Alliance of Baptists, and others, have taken legal action to challenge the Trump administration’s policy of allowing federal agents to conduct immigration enforcement operations on the properties of churches.
A lawsuit filed last month alleges that the Trump administration’s use of church properties during enforcement operations in a bid to deport immigrants who entered the country illegally has negatively impacted congregations, which “have seen both attendance and financial giving plummet.”
How are you praying about and for the church’s relationship with our borders? Share your prayers and scriptures below.
(This article was originally published at the Christian Post. Photo Credit: Kevin Carter vis AFP/Getty)
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I can understand the concerns of the Pastors and church deacons/board members who experience decline. However, have they considered the work of Holy Spirit, to separate the wheat from the chaff? God works in ways we don’t understand, nor can we visibly see, but He is working for our good and His glory, We must trust His process. He uses whomever He will to accomplish His will.
Jesus didn’t want us to be doormats in our “mercy”, and God is Jesus! God destroyed the tower of babel by confusing the builder’s languages. God is not a Globalist therefore Jesus isn’t either!
How easy it is to be self righteous about the world view that ourselves hold in order to look down on others whose view is different than our own. Naturally, if we were all perfect there wouldn’t be any wrong ever committed. But the obvious fact is that we all fall short of perfection. In fact if we would be truthful about ourselves, we would freely admit that we don’t live up to our own standards let alone God’s standards.
We all need a Savior and He can only be found in Jesus Christ. He alone is our perfection and our standard by which we should judge. Until each individual comes to the place of self incrimination, we will continue see these self righteous diatribes against anyone who sees the world differently.
Bless the work of IFA and continue to pray according to the lens of the Bible.
The Bible gives a clear example of how to enter someone’s border. Moses asked and was willing to pay for water and grazing but was denied so he walked around. He did not enter illegally. And when he was attacked he fought back. God doesn’t change. Only false teachers twist the Scriptures to support their narrative. No where does Jesus promote unrighteousness.
Grateful!
For these Hearts!
😎👊💪☝️⚔️🇺🇸
DEAR LORD GOD
PLEASE INSTRUCT AND CORRECT THE CONFUSED PEOPLE WHO WANT CLEMENCY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS REGARDLESS OF THEIR CONDUCT, LEGAL OR OTHERWISE.PLEASE LORD SEND THEM ALL HOME AS THEY ARE HAVING A VERY VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT N THE NATURALLY LEGAL CITIZENS AND NATIONALS WHO LEGITIMATELY LIVE HERE.IF YOU’VE BEEN HERE ILLEGALLY FOR 5, 10-20 YEARS AND YOUSTILL HAVEN’T DONE THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS YOU DESERVE TO BE DEPORTED.
I ASK IN JESUS’ NAME
AMEN
I would like for all these religous leaders to care about the death of American citizens as much as they do for the illegals. FAIR is an organization of immigrants who waited in line, were vetted, and entered the US legally. They have come out against the insanity of open borders and have been openly supporting President Trump’s agenda. Those here illegally need to go back and then apply for entry into the US the legal way and then all the problems that the illegals bring won’t be an issue. I wonder if those who are fighting for the illegals even care about the US citizens who have died at the hands of illegals who don’t care about US laws. I know the democrats care only about how many votes they can get, so as to maintain power that they abuse. Answer this “How many US citizens must die at the hands of illegals before you will defend their God given right to life?”
I trust in God’s plan for us all.
🙏😇🙏
Lord you see the intent of heart to do righteously. Please give wisdom when needed, Knowledge where needed, restraint where needed. Be glorified in what is being done and how it is being done. Let both charity and admonition be through and of the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is interwoven in America’s existence. An action that is right and uses the Bible to support that same right is right. I have no problem with the Trump administration policies.
It is laughable that criticism comes, not just simply because Scripture is being quoted, but because it doesn’t align with the particular way others want to interpret it – it doesn’t support their sick false compassion and mercy. The “ger” in the Covenant Scripture, were not illegal aliens – they were people who wanted to live among the people of Israel, and were willing to assimilate. And where is their compassion and mercy for the innocent, law-abiding citizens of our nation? As for “churches” which in my opinion may already be a part of the apostate “church” of the latter days (the Biblical word for the end times, not a religion) who want to harbor, aid and abet criminals – shame be upon you. A Torah-less people are not the people of YHVH.
Lord, please bless those who are taking a bold stand for righteousness and a law-abiding populace, free of illegal immigration.
Agree.
Churches are really lamenting that the offering plate is smaller. Shame on them.
And funny how some of the opposing political party are invited into some churches to speak their agenda during election seasons but a Bible verse suddenly brings forth the cry of “separation of church and state.”
Your response is perfect. Thank you.
AMEN AND AMEN!!!! WELL SAID!! May the” true” fear of God come upon all and “true” reverence for our Lord and love for HIS justice & righteousness!!
Thank you for the encouragement, Julie and Hope – I can use it today!
Praise God! Whenever there is a backlash to Christian boldness, like in this case, it means that God is on the move! It is no secret that America is in need of a Great Awakening. Please use this situation, Lord Jesus, to bring this to pass in our nation. Thank You Jesus.
Throughout history every strong society had “rock hard “ defendable borders . By far the greatest purpose of these borders were to protect against the influx of foreign IDEALS that would alter the foundation its forefathers created.
Our Savior we know that YOU created our America. It was YOU that established our IDEALS which created our laws. And now we rely on YOU and YOUR wisdom to rebuild this great nation !!!
In our blessed savior JESUS name we rely . Amen
Whatever it takes to protect americans. These religious organizations – shame shame. The raping, killing, sex trafficking, from the illegals that came here – obviously they are not listening to their congregations.