{"id":7130,"date":"2026-10-16T14:34:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T19:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learn.elca.org\/jle\/?p=7130"},"modified":"2026-10-16T17:14:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T22:14:03","slug":"doing-justice-and-loving-kindness-for-those-in-detention-centers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learn.elca.org\/jle\/doing-justice-and-loving-kindness-for-those-in-detention-centers\/","title":{"rendered":"Doing Justice and Loving Kindness for those in Detention Centers"},"content":{"rendered":"

[1] As the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has grown in scope and power since its inception in 2003, so has criticism of their brutal tactics and human rights abuses. In particular, this essay discusses the abuses involved in detention centers. These human rights abuses include allegations of unsafe conditions, overcrowding, racial abuse, and negligent medical care.[i]<\/a> The people kept in these conditions include people who entered the United States illegally and permanent residents with deportation orders, but also immigrants who declared asylum at the border and legal citizens and legal residents.[ii]<\/a> The people being detained come from every religion, race, age, and gender. The alleged purpose of these facilities is to ensure immigrants show up for their court dates and do not attempt to flee to extend their stay in the United States. Immigrants held in detention facilities are not given a bail hearing, so they are allowed to go free until a court hearing. This makes detention facilities operate differently than other judicial processes in the United States as holding someone until trial is usually associated with criminals who are flight risks or pose significant danger to the public.<\/p>\n

[2] Lutherans and the Lutheran church, at large, have an ethical and theological imperative to stand against ICE regarding their use of detention facilities where immigrants are held without bail and face abuses. Any failure to do so should be considered a personal and moral failing as Christians are called to make social change in the case of injustice and oppression. Throughout the Bible, we see God not only give permission but demands that believers speak out and fight against injustice. A large portion of the Old Testament is a recording of major and minor prophets called by God to denounce the ills of society. One such prophet is Micah who tells of God\u2019s judgment due to the sins of Israel for abusing the poor and having false idols. Micah denounces the leaders of the land and prophets who do not follow God\u2019s will. The book of Micah is possibly best known for a verse on justice: \u201cHe has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?\u201d[iii]<\/a> This verse is an answer on what we as humans should be doing: we are to be just and act when the vulnerable are mistreated. We are called to respond to injustice with mercy as God has shown us mercy and we must be humble and allow the Lord to guide us. The popularity of Micah 6:8 might be due to how it succinctly forms a guideline on living in a way which aligns with the New Testament. It has a message that aligns well with what Jesus would go on to teach as stories in the Gospel show.<\/p>\n

[3] In Romans, Paul calls readers to be led by the Spirit of the Lord and use their ability of discernment. \u201cDo not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God\u2014what is good and acceptable and perfect.\u201d[iv]<\/a> Paul explains, being renewed by the Gospel, the faithful will know what God wants. In essence, they will be guided by the Holy Spirit and have the power of discernment. The belief that the faithful can discern what God wants is part of the confession of the Lutheran church.[v]<\/a><\/p>\n

[4] In the Book of Concord, Martin Luther advocates for people to obey the laws put upon them from civil offices except for those laws that would cause them to commit sin.[vi]<\/a> \u00a0This section of the Book of Concord encourages people to behave peacefully and compliantly with the rules of the government, unless compliance and obeying the government would cause people to sin through unjust action.<\/p>\n

[5] Civil disobedience or nonviolent resistance is a tactic that has been utilized by ICE protestors whether that be refusal to comply with officers, trespassing while protesting, or even creating blockades during protests. However, while it is morally valid and compliant with biblical teachings and the Book of Concord, nonviolent demonstrations can lead to protesters being met with criminal charges[vii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[6] Despite the legal issues that some protestors or organizers may face, the betterment of society for those being persecuted is essential. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) has argued that the church \u201cneeds constantly to discern when to support and when to confront society\u2019s cultural patterns, values, and powers\u2026\u201d and that the church needs to collaborate with others \u201cto remove obstacles of discrimination and indifference that prevent people from living out their callings\u201d.[viii]<\/a> This social statement from the church alongside biblical teachings and Martin Luther\u2019s writing shows that Christian\u2019s have the moral imperative to work for changes in society. To stand idly by while sin is running rampant and hurting others would be a sin in and of itself.<\/p>\n

[7] We do need to tread carefully to ensure the changes we enact best reflect God\u2019s will and that we don\u2019t uplift values unaligned with God while invoking His name. In order to seek understanding and knowledge of God\u2019s will, we are taught to engage with the Bible.\u00a0 We can also look to prior teachings of the church as many Christians before us have wrestled with similar theological issues for centuries.\u00a0 In Matthew, Jesus says that as you have done to the least in society you have done to him and similarly as you have not done for the least of these you have not done for him. In his examples of the least of society Jesus specifically names the stranger and those in prison.[ix]<\/a> This section of Mathew concludes that those who mistreated or ignored the least of these will go away into eternal punishment and the righteous will go away into eternal life.<\/p>\n

[8] In June of 2026, the Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union issued a joint report investigating the conditions of Camp East Montana located in El Paso, Texas. The joint report recounts inhospitable living environments, denial of medical care, and rampant physical abuse.[x]<\/a> In February of 2026, a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to allow clergy members access to detainees at Broadview detention center in Broadview, Illinois. This lawsuit claimed that clergy and faith leaders had been denied access to offer pastoral care, prayer services and communion. [xi]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

[7] The ELCA has had a public stance on immigration since its 1998 social message where it condemned the mistreatment and negative stereotypes of immigrants.[xii]<\/a> During more recent years, the church has upheld this stance and continued to stand alongside immigrants. The ELCA has resources such as Accompanying Migrants with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities (AMMPARO) and ELCA Witness in Society and State Public Policy Offices. These ministries do work such as ministry, providing local resources and advocating to the government to make policies that will improve life for immigrants. While this is necessary and valuable work that is being done, more can be done.<\/p>\n

[8] Members of ELCA congregations should be made actively aware of what their church is doing so that they can choose to be somewhere that aligns with their faith. If we don\u2019t publicly and boldly speak out for justice, then we are being complicit in sin. Furthermore, speaking about the work being done in AMMPARO and ELCA Witness in Society and State Public Policy Offices to congregations allows new church members and youth to learn about ways they express their faith publicly. Aside from making sure congregational members are informed about AMMPARO and legislative advocacy work the church does, congregations can be a great place for people to organize. During the Civil Rights Movement, the church was used as a space for activists to meet and do their work.[xiii]<\/a> At the church, activists had a gathering space in their community to get together to discuss community issues or organize protests. The church can also be a place to gather mutual aid resources such as food, clothing, and diapers for immigrants who are scared to leave their house in times of heavy ICE presence.<\/p>\n

[9] The ELCA is a predominantly white denomination with relatively few recent immigrants making up its population. The issue of ICE detention facilities might seem relatively abstract to congregations unless it is impacting someone they know or love. Being caught in an ICE raid and tossed in an ICE facility isn\u2019t a fear with which the majority of white Lutherans have to grapple. But it does affect their neighbors, whether they are immigrants or not.\u00a0 Because ICE agents are allowed to apprehend people using \u201creasonable suspicion\u201d, there are reports of racial profiling.[xiv]<\/a> Indeed, numerous people who are not immigrants have been harassed or detained by ICE; in some cases, this ironically includes Indigenous Americans.[xv]<\/a> As a predominately white denomination, the presence of immigration officers and the conditions of detention facilities are not a daily concern for most Lutherans. It can be easy to downplay or ignore the injustices that we don\u2019t see.\u00a0 But once we open our eyes, we cannot turn away.<\/p>\n

[10] Being silent or brushing off the injustice being done to immigrants should not be an option. We must remember that what is being done in detention centers is being done to the least of these in society. The church must be louder in its support of immigrants whether that be preaching from the pulpit or marching in the streets. Our church members must not only be aware but be active in speaking out against ICE detention facilities and the abuses happening there. Any failure on the church and its members’ part to speak out against injustice is an act of injustice in and of itself.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>[i<\/a>] Alexandra Villarreal, \u201cLawsuit Challenges Trump\u2019s \u2018Camp East\u2019 Immigration Policy in Montana and Texas,\u201d The Guardian<\/em>, May 30, 2026, https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/30\/lawsuit-camp-east-montana-texas-us-immigration-ice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[ii]<\/a> Nicole Foy\u00a0\u201cMore than 170 US citizens have been held by Immigration agents.\u201d Pro Publica. <\/u><\/p>\n

Oct. 16, 2025,\u00a0 www.opb.org\/article\/2025\/10\/16\/immigration-ice-arrests-propublica-white-house-deportation-immigrants-sweep\/<\/p>\n

[iii]<\/a> Micah 6:8<\/p>\n

[iv]<\/a> Romans 12:2<\/p>\n

[v]<\/a> \u201cChurch in Society: A Lutheran Perspective.\u201d Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, September 4, 1991. https:\/\/cdn.elca.org\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/Church_SocietySS.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[vi]<\/a> The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church<\/em>, Article XVI: \u201cOf Civil Affairs, August accessed August 20, 2026, https:\/\/thebookofconcord.org\/augsburg-confession\/article-xvi\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[vii]<\/a> Meg Anderson, \u201cShe protested ICE raids. Then agents showed up at her door.\u201d NPR. <\/em>August 3, 2026,\u00a0 https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/08\/03\/nx-s1-5886263\/ice-dhs-immigration-enforcement-conspiracy-arrests<\/a><\/p>\n

[viii]<\/a> \u201cChurch in Society: A Lutheran Perspective.\u201d Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, September 4, 1991. https:\/\/cdn.elca.org\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/Church_SocietySS.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[ix]<\/a> Matthew 25: 39-46<\/p>\n

[x]<\/a> Associated Press, \u201cICE Opens New Detention Camp as Deaths, Abuse Allegations Rise,\u201d AP News<\/em>, June 10, 2025, https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ice-camp-detention-trump-homeland-security-dhs-immigration-deaths-abuse-30ec92636a5601b0071895efa871b990<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[xi]<\/a> Eileen Sullivan and Miriam Jordan, \u201cCatholics Mark Ash Wednesday With Protests Against ICE Detention Policies,\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, February 13, 2026, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/13\/us\/politics\/ice-detention-catholics-ash-wednesday.html?eafs_enabled=false<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[xii]<\/a> Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, A Social Message on Immigration<\/em>, April 8, 2018, https:\/\/cdn.elca.org\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/ImmigrationSM.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[xiii]<\/a> Hillary, Jewell. \u201cThe Black Church\u2019s Role in Civil Rights and Social Justice Continues to Grow.\u201d WGN-TV<\/em>, Feb 11, 2025, https:\/\/wgntv.com\/news\/black-history-month\/the-black-churchs-role-in-civil-rights-and-social-justice-continues-to-grow\/#\/\/<\/a><\/p>\n

[xiv]<\/a> NPR, \u201cThe Supreme Court Clears the Way for ICE Agents to Treat Race as Grounds for Immigration Stops,\u201d NPR<\/em>, September 13, 2025, https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/13\/nx-s1-5507125\/the-supreme-court-clears-the-way-for-ice-agents-to-treat-race-as-grounds-for-immigration-stops<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[xv]<\/a> Associated Press, \u201cNative American Tribe Protests ICE Immigration Raids on Tribal Lands,\u201d AP News<\/em>, April 15, 2025, https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/native-american-tribe-immigration-ice-minneapolis-id-7ea8ef784039d908135f22bf312f20d2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

Bibliography<\/p>\n

Alexandra Villarreal, \u201cLawsuit Challenges Trump\u2019s \u2018Camp East\u2019 Immigration Policy in Montana and Texas,\u201d The Guardian<\/em>, May 30, 2026, https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/30\/lawsuit-camp-east-montana-texas-us-immigration-ice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Associated Press. \u201cICE Opens New Detention Camp as Deaths, Abuse Allegations Rise.\u201d AP News<\/em>, June 10, 2205. https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ice-camp-detention-trump-homeland-security-dhs-immigration-deaths-abuse-30ec92636a5601b0071895efa871b990<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. A Social Message on Immigration<\/em>. April 8, 2018. https:\/\/cdn.elca.org\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/ImmigrationSM.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective<\/em>. September 4, 1991. https:\/\/cdn.elca.org\/cdn\/wp-content\/uploads\/Church_SocietySS.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

NPR, \u201cThe Supreme Court Clears the Way for ICE Agents to Treat Race as Grounds for Immigration Stops,\u201d NPR<\/em>, September 13, 2025, https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/13\/nx-s1-5507125\/the-supreme-court-clears-the-way-for-ice-agents-to-treat-race-as-grounds-for-immigration-stops<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sullivan, Eileen, and Miriam Jordan. \u201cCatholics Mark Ash Wednesday With Protests Against ICE Detention Policies.\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, February 13, 2026. https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/13\/us\/politics\/ice-detention-catholics-ash-wednesday.html?eafs_enabled=false<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church<\/em>. Article XVI: \u201cOf Civil Affairs.\u201d Accessed August 20, 2026. https:\/\/thebookofconcord.org\/augsburg-confession\/article-xvi\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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