For decades, America’s immigration system has been broken, battered by political gamesmanship, inaction, and extremes on both sides of the aisle. As a nation, we have failed to secure our borders, protect our citizens, or provide a fair and moral pathway forward for those who are here and contributing, yet undocumented.
That failure ends now.
As a pastor and leader in the Latino evangelical community, I believe this moment demands clarity and conviction. With over 65 million Latinos in America, including 20 million evangelical Latino believers, this is not just a political moment; it is a moral mandate.
Let’s be clear: Immigrants are a blessing to America. They enrich our communities, power our economy, and carry the image of God. But immigration must take place legally. Without order, there can be no justice. Without law, there can be no compassion.
Today, I’m calling on elected officials, policy leaders, and the American people to rally around five common-sense, morally grounded principles that can break the stalemate and restore credibility to our immigration system without opening the door to amnesty or undermining national security.
1. Secure the border — now and permanently
We must end illegal immigration. Full stop. That means not just building physical barriers where necessary but embracing a technological surge: drones, satellite surveillance, infrared imaging, and AI-enhanced monitoring. A secure border is not a partisan talking point — it’s a prerequisite for sovereignty and sanity.
2. Deport criminals without exception
No mercy for the wicked. Every illegal immigrant engaged in nefarious activity — gangs, drug trafficking, human trafficking, rape, violent crime — must be deported swiftly and permanently. The rule of law demands it. American families deserve it. There can be no sanctuary for criminality.
3. Legal status, not citizenship
This is where moral clarity meets political courage. Millions of illegal immigrants have lived here for decades, working in agriculture, construction, and hospitality. They’ve raised children. They’ve planted roots. But they came illegally.
We must remove citizenship from the table. Rewarding unlawful entry with the ultimate prize of citizenship sends the wrong message to the world and undermines legal immigrants who waited in line. Instead, we propose a pathway to permanent legal residency without the possibility of citizenship. That’s justice without amnesty — compassion without compromise.
4. Promote work, not welfare
America thrives when people work, not when they wait. Immigrants should never become long-term dependents of the state. We must reform our welfare system to promote economic contribution, not government reliance. Let us incentivize job creation, entrepreneurship, and personal responsibility.
5. Honor every human life and secure America’s future
Every immigrant — legal or illegal — is made in the image of God. We must approach this matter with firm resolve and deep compassion. We can protect our borders while honoring families. We can reject lawlessness while affirming human dignity.
This is not a Republican matter. It’s not a Democratic matter. It’s a moral matter — one that speaks to the heart of who we are as a nation. Do we have the courage to secure our future while doing right by those who have contributed in silence for years? Do we have the wisdom to say “no” to lawlessness and “yes” to a legal path forward?
I believe we do. But we must act now, not next year, not after another crisis, not after another election, but now.
SUPREME COURT ALLOWS TRUMP TO DEPORT IMMIGRANTS TO ‘THIRD COUNTRIES’ FOR NOW
Let us build a system that secures the border, removes criminals, legalizes long-standing contributors without amnesty, promotes work, and honors the image of God in every immigrant.
Because, in the end, this isn’t just about policy. It’s about who we are — and who we’re becoming.
Pastor Samuel Rodriguez is the lead pastor of New Season, one of America’s most influential megachurches, and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.