The Presbyterian Church In America (PCA) Advises Illegal Immigrants How To Conceal Their Identity From ICE
An article posted to The Presbyterian Church In America (PCA) Mission to North America website, (Since removed, but archived at our link) PCMNA, instructs illegal immigrants how to interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE) if they are being detained, advising them to leave only to show identity documents that do not include their country of birth of citizenship. It begins:
Did you know? The average undocumented person has been present in the US for more than a decade.
Most immigrants in the US have permanent legal status. They may be a refugee, or a sponsored family member awaiting their green card or they may already be a naturalized US citizen.
On the other hand, many of our neighbors – and many of our brothers and sisters in Christ – do not have permanent legal status. They may have temporary status such as Humanitarian Parole (HP) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Some may not have documents giving them permission to remain in the US.
Many undocumented persons are married to green card holders or to US citizens. Many have US citizen children – mixed status families.
Our neighbors who have no documents and those who have temporary status are facing much uncertainty in the months and years ahead. Example: persons who have applied for asylum in the US have been given court dates years in the future, with uncertainty during the interim.
As Megan Basham points out on X “The verbiage of this document from the PCA is overall emotionally manipulative, showing no respect for US immigration law. It assumes that the only way you can love your immigrant neighbor is by helping him continue to remain in the country illegally.”
Then, we get to the Q&A:
The MNA Refugee and Immigration Ministry director is Angela Pacey, a woman who spent 36 years as a member of Kevin DeYoung’s church, Christ Covenant.
Responding to swift complaints and public presbyterian outcry, Zachary Groff, the pastor of Antioch Presbyterian Church, Editor-in-Chief of Presbyterian Polity, Managing Editor of The Confessional Presbyterian Journal, and member of the MNA Permanent Committee, shared on X that that was being looked at and taken “very seriously.”
h/t Woke Preacher TV
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The PCA church is advising illegal aliens to break to law .
They came into the country illegally so they have already committed a crime.
ICE is enforcing and restoring immigration law.
The uncontrolled border has allowed in more immigrants than can be assimilated in an orderly manner
This reduces our security and is not good for the immigrants who have no place to go, no job and no food.
The PCA church is undermining the legal authority and encouraging more crime.
That’s it. I’ve seen enough. Deport all Presbyterians. Calvinism spreaded gay anyway. “We were born totally depraved. We were born gay and can’t do any better.” So by your admission you are trash that shouldn’t be in my country. Presbyterians get out! (No wonder Trump himself switched from Presbyterian to non-denominational.)
That’s not what “total depravity” means, nor is it a proper application of it. Total misrepresentation/mischaracterization.
Why do you have triple parenthesis around your name? You’re self-identifying as Talmudist or something?
The recent controversy surrounding the Presbyterian Church in America’s (PCA) Mission to North America (MNA) highlights the complex intersection of faith-based compassion and legal boundaries. In January 2025, the MNA published a resource titled “Refugee & Immigrant Ministry for Churches: Help Immigrants Facing 2025 Policy Changes,” which included guidance for undocumented individuals on interacting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The document advised, among other things, that individuals without lawful status should avoid carrying identification that reveals their country of origin and refrain from presenting false documents.
This guidance sparked significant debate within and beyond the PCA community. Critics argued that such advice could be interpreted as encouraging individuals to evade law enforcement, potentially placing both the individuals and those assisting them in legal jeopardy. In response to the backlash, the MNA promptly removed the document from their website and issued a formal apology. The statement acknowledged the error, emphasizing the church’s commitment to obeying lawful authorities as outlined in their doctrinal standards, specifically referencing the Westminster Confession of Faith and biblical passages such as Romans 13:1-4 and 1 Peter 2:13-14.
This incident underscores the delicate balance religious organizations must navigate between providing compassionate support to vulnerable populations and adhering to legal frameworks. While the church’s mission includes advocating for and assisting immigrants, this situation highlights the importance of ensuring that such efforts align with both ethical considerations and legal obligations.