President Donald Trump made big strides among Latino voters in the 2024 presidential election thanks in large part to the influence of evangelical Latino churches.
However, the Associated Press reports that many of these churches already feel "devastated and abandoned" by him after he signed an executive order authorizing Immigrations and Customers Enforcement to conduct immigration raids at schools and churches.
Although many Latino evangelicals believed that the Trump administration would only target people with criminal records for deportation, they've been surprised to learn that even some of their own pastors are now in the crosshairs.
Agustin Quiles, a spokesperson for the Florida Fellowship of Hispanic Councils and Evangelical Institutions, tells the AP that he's disturbed that the "messaging appears to be that anyone who is undocumented is a criminal" and he said that "we want to ask the president to reconsider because these actions are causing pain and trauma to so many families in and beyond our churches."
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The Rev. Ruben Ortiz, Latino field coordinator for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, tells the AP that he's been disturbed to hear about immigrations raids taking place around churches and he says that it is intimidating parishioners from showing up on Sundays.
“We are getting calls from members who say they don’t feel safe in our churches,” he said. ”We are going to respond by giving shelter. We are going to embrace all regardless of their immigration status. Everyone can and should find refuge in our churches.”
And Bishop Ebli De La Rosa tells the AP that "some of my pastors are holding services with doors locked because they are scared that immigration agents will burst through the door at any moment."
