By Ethan Fausett
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued a statement, reiterating principles it previously shared on the subject of immigration. The statement came as US President Donald Trump began his term in office with sweeping immigration reforms. He has taken a hardline stance on deporting illegal immigrants and reversing past US government stances on birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.
The Church’s statement included the following points:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints obeys the law.
We follow Jesus Christ by loving our neighbors. The Savior taught that the meaning of “neighbor” includes all of God’s children.
We seek to provide basic food and clothing, as our capacity allows, to those in need, regardless of their immigration status. We are especially concerned about keeping families together.
The Church’s topic essay on immigration emphasizes these principles in slightly greater detail. It adds the, “... need to strengthen families.” and that, “Forced separation of working parents from their children weakens families and damages society.” On the topic of keeping the law it says that, “All persons subject to a nation’s laws are accountable for their acts in relation to them.”
Because there are potential legal implications for local leaders such as Bishops who are aware of illegal immigrants, the statement tells us that Church lawyers have created, “... guidelines to help local leaders comply with federal laws where criminal charges may result from harboring, transporting or encouraging undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States.”
The Church may also be making adjustments to better align with the Church’s policies on immigration. The Cougar Chronicle (an independent conservative student paper at BYU) found and reported on X that, “BYU has updated its [Undocumented] Student Support Services to now be its International Students and Scholars Page … the webpage [also] no longer features links to "LGBTQ+ Student Resources," "Women's Services & Resources," "Multicultural Student Services," [or] the "Office of Belonging."
The response to this statement has varied. Some who tend to support President Donald Trump’s policy of deportation have responded like @rationalprepper who said, “Yes, mass deportations are compatible with gospel standards as long as families are kept together.”
Others such as @TimVandenack focus on the part of the statement talking about caring for others including, “... helping those in need, regardless of migratory status.
The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent the position of Ward Radio News. Ward Radio News is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Church) and does not officially represent the Church.
Bless this good bishop for simply doing the best he can in a ‘no win’ situation. Ultimately, the fault lies on the back of parents, who broke immigration laws by entering illegally or overstaying the time limit for work visas. But it is better to stay together as a family, wherever they go. Army brats are raised all over the world, enduring multiple moves. They are resilient based on the love of their family unit.
Ward Radio knew Trump was a snake before they picked him up.
A the leader of a church unit in the U.S. with many undocumented members, I can tell you that it is a constant challenge. Because of their undocumented status, we cannot help them find jobs or better paying jobs. The jobs they have are often very shady and pay cash while taking advantage of not having to pay overtime. Their undocumented children attend and graduate from public schools who also cannot get jobs except the under that table work that their parents are doing. Living conditions are cramped and basic as they live in housing situations would make a code enforcement officer's head spin. Local governments turn a blind eye to a myriad of housing and safety violations knowin…