Immigration

As Evangelical Christians, our faith compels us to welcome immigrants and stand with them when they are treated unjustly. ce in the State of Florida and in the United States.

Our Work

Current

We continue to push back on our Florida government’s anti-immigration agenda that rolled out for the 2023 Florida State legislative session on February 2023. Evangélicos for Justice is informing our communities and engaging them in public action and advocacy.

  • In May, despite strong opposition from the Latino faith community, Governor signed SB 1718, an immigration bill with many provisions that will harm our communities. 

  • Prior to its final passage by the Florida State Legislature, the measure was amended to remove a provision that would have criminalized anyone who transports or houses undocumented immigrants. The amendment followed challenges by the Latino faith community to earlier drafts of the bill. The challenges also ensured that the bill did not include an in-state tuition ban for undocumented students - something that was sought by Governor DeSantis. 

  • We are grateful for Rep. Vicki Lopez, who was the only Republican to vote against the legislation. It is this kind of action - action that puts people before party platforms - that we want to applaud!

Engage media to tell our story

Past

2023 Advocacy & Action Day

  • Before the immigration bill passed, more than 300 Florida pastors and ministry leaders assembled at the state Capitol in Tallahassee for the Evangelicos for Justice & Advocacy Day on March 26th & 27th. On that day we prayed, met with more than 30 legislators, and asked the governor and state lawmakers to consider the damage that the bill would do to our ability to carry out our ministries to those in need. 

  • Leaders from Evangelicos for Justice also offered Public Testimony at hearings, published opinion pieces, and engaged with reporters to provide context and quotes for media stories about the bill and its impact on the immigrant community.

  • Upon final passage of the bill, our efforts focused on urging Governor Desantis to veto the bill. We gathered more than 1,000 signatures from Latino pastors, faith leaders and congregants, for a sign-on letter to the Governor expressing grave concerns over the way the legislation would, if adopted, “incite fear and create barriers of needed care that our church immigrant and refugee ministries engage.” 

  • This letter included more than 20 pages of signatures, including that of Bishop Ángel Marcial, president of the Florida Fellowship of Hispanic Bishops and Evangelical Institutions, which represents more than 2,500 churches and organizations across the state.

Our work together during past legislative sessions has had a tremendous impact:

2022 Advocacy & Action Day

  • On February 24, 2022 five buses with over 200 bishops, pastors and lay leaders from Latino evangelical communities across Florida made their way to the State Capitol in Tallahassee for Evangelicos for Justice’s first, Advocacy & Action Day.

  • This collective public witness advocated to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature to reverse course on an executive order and series of legislative bills that would prevent Florida churches from caring for migrant children who were separated from their families and would create barriers for all immigrants without legal status. 

  • After a prayer focused press conference, we delivered over 200 letters and visited 29 legislative offices.

What the Bible says About Immigration

The Bible is filled with stories of people on the move (migrants) and instructions on how God’s people are supposed to show immigrants care and concern. From the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the Law God established for His people, we see how important immigrants are to God. Throughout the Old Testament the prophets warned the leaders and rulers of the day of God’s special care and concern for the vulnerable. Through the voices of the prophets we see God wants immigrants to be treated with justice.

Jesus himself migrated from Heaven to earth to offer redemption for all of humanity. In humbly coming to earth, he demonstrated how to seek and serve the welfare of others. We learn in Matthew 25 that when we welcome the immigrant, we welcome Christ himself.

Resources to Learn More about Immigration

There are many resources out there to learn more about immigration and how you and your faith communities can engage. From pastor’s preaching guides to church small groups and individual training materials, check out some of the resources created by our network of partners.

Info@evangelicosforjustice.org