Speaker Johnson uses Bible to justify secured borders after being asked about Pope’s rhetoric on migrants
House Speaker Mike Johnson made a lengthy biblical defense of protecting one’s own border Tuesday after being questioned about recent commentary by Pope Leo.
During a press conference on Capitol Hill, a reporter spoke to Johnson, saying, "Pope Leo has cited Matthew 25:35 to critique Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. How would you respond to Pope Leo in Scripture?"
While Pope Leo specifically denied that the church pushes for "open borders" in November, he has also advocated for the humane treatment of migrants. In October, he referred to the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-40 and noted in his Apostolic Exhortation DILEXI TE, "the Church has always recognized in migrants a living presence of the Lord who, on the day of judgment, will say to those on his right: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’"
Johnson responded to the reporter by saying he would post a response on social media later in the day, but would give a summary right then and there.
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"Borders and walls are biblical— from the Old Testament to the New, God has allowed us to set up our civil societies and have separate nations. Immigration is not something that’s frowned upon in Scripture. In fact, it’s welcomed. We are to welcome the sojourner and love our neighbor as ourselves. But what’s also important in the Bible is that assimilation is expected, and anticipated, and proper. When someone comes into your country, comes into your nation, they do not have the right to change its laws or to change its society. They’re expected to assimilate. We haven’t had a lot of that going on."
He went on to argue that there is a difference between the expectations for individuals within a society versus the rulers who maintain the stability of society itself.
"When people cite passages out of the Old Testament, I say, well, you’re supposed to take care of the sojourner and the neighbor, and treat them as yourself, welcome them in — yes, but that is an admonition to individuals, not to civil authorities. The civil authorities are given authority under Scripture to maintain order. Romans 12 — you want to do this? Romans 13 says that the civil authorities are God’s agents of wrath to bring punishment upon the wrongdoer. And it says, if you do right, you have no fear of the civil authorities, but those civil authorities are necessary. It’s a calling. It’s a calling to maintain order in society. And we have not had that."
Johnson argued that numerous criminal migrants have been allowed to enter the country in recent years, stating that society has a biblical right to stop such people from entering.
"Sovereign borders are biblical and good and right, and they’re just. Because it’s not because we hate the people on the outside, it’s because we love the people on the inside. We should love our neighbors as ourself, as individuals, but the civil authority and the government has to maintain the law, and that is biblical, and it’s right, and it’s just, and I’m happy to have this lengthy debate with anybody any time they want to."
On his X account, Johnson later that day wrote, "In the press gaggle following today's vote, I was asked to defend the Biblical case for border security and immigration enforcement. I did so, and then promised to post a longer explanation that I drafted during the Biden Administration."
In the essay, drafted during the Biden administration, Johnson argued that Scripture "teaches that God ordained and created four distinct spheres of authority — (1) the individual, (2) the family, (3) the church, and (4) civil government — and each of these spheres is given different responsibilities."
"Indeed, the civil authorities are specifically charged to do justice, to ‘bear the sword,’ and to serve as "the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (Rom. 13:1-4, KJV). As the Bible warns: ‘When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong’ (Ecc. 8:11, TLB)," he wrote. "Read in its context, the passage in Leviticus 19 makes perfect sense. Showing love and kindness to a stranger was not a command given to civil government, but instead to individual believers. That same principle is emphasized in the New Testament. When Jesus spoke of embracing, caring, and providing for ‘the least of these’ (E.g., Matt. 25:31-40), His instruction was given to His disciples, and not the local authorities."
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Johnson concluded by arguing that when the left uses Scripture to support "open borders" out of context, they should be met with factual correction. He noted that while Christians are called to selfless service and love, they are also tasked with supporting a just government. According to Johnson, justice and mercy work together, as God requires both. He maintained that advocating for strong border security is consistent with Christian values and biblical teaching.