Faith and Immigration: Scripture, Enforcement, and the Shifting Role of Religion in U.S. Politics
A DHS Video Draws Criticism
In January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security released a video depicting immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota. The footage, set to Lorde's cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," features a striking quote from the Gospel of Matthew: "Blessed are the peacemakers... for they shall be called the sons of God."
The DHS video uses scripture to portray enforcement actions as peacemaking despite their violent appearance. — Yii-Jan Lin, Yale Divinity School
Hegseth's Military Scripture
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has similarly invoked biblical passages in public statements, framing military service in explicitly religious terms. At a Pentagon prayer service on January 21, 2025, he cited Psalm 144. At the National Prayer Breakfast in February 2025, he referenced Mark 8:34-35.
Scholarly Responses
Critiques of the DHS Video
Yii-Jan Lin, professor of New Testament at Yale Divinity School, commented that the DHS video appropriates scripture to recast enforcement actions as peacemaking, despite what she described as their violent appearance.
The Rev. John Dickson of Wheaton College noted a deeper tension: the Beatitudes, from which the quoted verse originates, emphasize meekness and love—qualities that contrast sharply with the enforcement imagery in the video.
The Beatitudes emphasize meekness and love, contrasting with the enforcement imagery. — Rev. John Dickson, Wheaton College
Empire and Historical Context
Obery Hendricks, professor at Columbia University, offered a broader critique, describing the use of Lorde's song as subtly suggesting empire-building.
Dyron Daughrity, dean at Pepperdine University, took a more historical view. He observed that invoking God in military contexts is a well-established tradition. He also noted a significant shift: politicians today display religious expression far more openly than they did 30 years ago.
A Shifting Public Landscape
A Pew Research study released in 2025 captured a notable change in public sentiment. For the first time, a majority of surveyed individuals believe the Bible should have influence on U.S. laws. Of those, 28% said scripture should have more influence than the will of the people when the two conflict.
28% of respondents say the Bible should take precedence over the will of the people when they conflict. — Pew Research, 2025
The Pluralism Question
Lin argued that using scripture in a pluralistic society requires acknowledging multiple sacred texts and ethical frameworks. Hendricks drew a further distinction: he differentiated between ideological Christianity, which interprets the Bible through the lens of the interpreter's own interests, and faith-based Christianity, which uses scripture to question power.