In early April 2025, news broke that the Trump administration is resuming deportations of Afghan nationals back to their home country—a place where, for many, return means torture, forced marriage, or death. These aren’t nameless, faceless migrants.
By Dr. Tim Orr
In early April 2025, news broke that the Trump administration is resuming deportations of Afghan nationals back to their home country—a place where, for many, return means torture, forced marriage, or death. These aren’t nameless, faceless migrants. Many were allies of the U.S. military, some are Christian converts, and most have already endured years of trauma. Now they’re being sent back into the hands of the Taliban.
I’ve watched this unfold with a heavy heart.
Let me be clear: I reject globalism. I don’t believe in open borders or in outsourcing our immigration policies to international institutions. Nations have the right to secure their borders and craft immigration policies that are just and wise. Likewise, I also reject the Biden administration’s far-left stance on immigration, including policies that encourage unchecked entry, expand government dependency, and minimize the Church’s distinct calling to serve refugees through gospel-driven compassion, which often blurs moral clarity, overlooks national security, and too easily sidelines the church’s role in favor of government solutions. But none of that gives us, as Christians, the right to ignore the clear command of Scripture: love the stranger, care for the sojourner, and protect the vulnerable.
Even before Biden took office, I fell to the left of many of my evangelical peers when it came to immigration. I remember conversations where I defended ministries that offered ESL classes and legal assistance at churches, not because I supported progressive politics, but because I saw these as tangible expressions of loving the stranger (Leviticus 19:34). When it came to this issue. Not because I bought into every progressive idea—I didn’t—but because Scripture has shaped me. Loving the foreigner is not a liberal value; it’s biblical. If anything, it’s a test of whether we’re living out the gospel or merely talking about it.
When Policy Fails, the Church Must Prevail
Under the current deportation orders, Afghan Christians and American allies are being forced back into one of the most dangerous regions in the world. The very people who risked their lives to stand with our troops—and in some cases embraced our faith—are now vulnerable and abandoned. This isn’t just a political failure; it’s a moral one. And where governments fall short, the Church must rise.
The Bible is unflinching on this point:
“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9)
“The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” (Psalm 146:9)
“I was a stranger and you invited me in.” (Matthew 25:35)
These aren’t optional virtues for the believer—they are foundational truths that demand action.
My Week in Raleigh: A Picture of Faithfulness
Just last week, I had the opportunity to visit Raleigh, North Carolina, where I saw the Church responding to the immigrant crisis with grace and conviction. My first stop was Refugee Hope Partners, a faith-based nonprofit serving refugees as they transition to life in the U.S. Their mission is to engage, equip, and encourage, but what struck me was how embodied that mission is. It’s not about programs. It’s about presence.
I saw volunteers tutoring children, helping adults navigate employment, and simply sitting in living rooms as friends. No one was playing savior. They were walking with people in love and humility. It was the gospel in flesh and blood.
Later in the week, I visited The Summit Church, which serves the diverse communities of the Triangle through a biweekly immigrant gathering. It starts with a meal and leads into a worship service where immigrants from Central America, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa gather. For many, it’s the first place they’ve felt truly seen. For others, it’s the first place they’ve heard the gospel.
It wasn’t flashy, but it was strategic. But it was deeply faithful—a quiet, incarnational faithfulness that mirrored the biblical call to welcome the stranger and live out the love of Christ in tangible ways. It reminded me that this is what the Church is for—to be a sanctuary when there’s nowhere else to turn.
Not Globalism or Progressivism—But Gospel Faithfulness
Again, I’m not advocating for open borders, nor do I trust government-driven social engineering. I still hold a conservative view of national sovereignty and a biblical view of sin. But here’s what I can’t escape: the Church is not bound by political borders or cultural categories. The love of Christ binds us.
When we reach immigrants with the love of Jesus—whether they’re from Kabul, Caracas, or Kinshasa—we’re not compromising our values. We’re living the gospel. We’re practicing what we preach. And we’re fulfilling the Great Commission by going abroad and welcoming those whom God has brought to our doorstep.
This isn’t about political activism. It’s about gospel faithfulness—expressed not just in belief but in public, practical action that reflects Christ's heart for the vulnerable and displaced. In a world that often weaponizes fear, the Church must embody love. As the world grows colder, our warmth should be unmistakable.
A Call to the Church
So what now?
The Church in Columbus: A Beacon of Hope
Here in Columbus, Indiana, our community has become a haven for immigrants and refugees worldwide. Local churches have stepped up to embody the gospel through tangible acts of love and service.
St. Bartholomew Catholic Church has been at the forefront, welcoming migrants and advocating for meaningful immigration reform. Their commitment reflects the Church's mission to be Christ-centered in unity and hope. Their efforts are not about charity but about living out the gospel in flesh and blood.
Allow me, Pastors, to offer an exhortation. Teach the full counsel of God’s Word, including His deep concern for the foreigner. Preach texts like Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and Matthew 25. Remind your congregation that God's justice is personal and social. Encourage your church to think missionally about their neighborhoods and consider cross-cultural training to engage wisely and lovingly. Preach texts like Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and Matthew 25. Equip your congregation to see immigrant ministry not as charity, but as discipleship, including His deep concern for the foreigner.
Believers, step into this work. Learn someone’s story. Share a meal. Offer dignity. Extend grace. Volunteer with local organizations. Invite an immigrant family to dinner. Help with job searches or school registrations. Start small but stay consistent. Love takes root through presence, not programs—and that presence can be the very place where gospel transformation begins. Volunteer with local organizations. Invite an immigrant family to dinner. Start small but stay consistent. Love takes root through presence, not programs. Learn someone’s story. Share a meal. Offer dignity. Extend grace.
Because when we love the immigrant, we don’t just change their life—we let God change ours.
And in a world increasingly hardened by politics, may we be known as people who build bridges—and carry crosses.
Tim serves full-time with Crescent Project as the assistant director of the internship program and area coordinator, where he is also deeply involved in outreach across the UK. A scholar of Islam, Evangelical minister, conference speaker, and interfaith consultant, Tim brings over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural ministry. He holds six academic degrees, including a Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University and a Master’s in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College in London.
In addition to his ministry work, Tim is a research associate with the Congregations and Polarization Project at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University Indianapolis. His research interests include Islamic antisemitism, American Evangelicalism, and Islamic feminism. He has spoken at leading universities and mosques throughout the UK—including Oxford University, Imperial College London, and the University of Tehran—and has published widely in peer-reviewed Islamic academic journals. Tim is also the author of four books.