On his first day back in office, Donald Trump released multiple executive orders, promising huge changes in American immigration policy. The executive orders had names like Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats, Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists, and Protecting The American People Against Invasion.
The full-on “mass deportations” have not been officially mandated yet but are expected to begin soon. Trump seems determined to take drastic actions on immigration, even beyond what he did in his first term.
Trump is now attending a National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral presided by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. She told me for this article: “Trump seeks to dismantle everything I stand for.” Then she told me about resistance. https://t.co/qk9YtFbyJf via @RollingStone
— Antonia Juhasz (@AntoniaJuhasz) January 21, 2025
With control of both houses of Congress, Trump will likely get what he wants in terms of immigration, aside from some questions about whether the House of Representatives, where there are disagreements about which spending to prioritize, and how much will go towards immigration enforcement.
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However, there is some vocal opposition to what the president wants to do on immigration. And that has started in the National Cathedral.
According to a Rolling Stone article last week, the Cathedral, where Jimmy Carter’s funeral was held on January 9, “has often stood as a symbol of resistance to Trump, his politics, and policies — and is prepared to continue to do so in the times ahead.”
That was certainly the case on Tuesday when a National Prayer Service was held at the National Cathedral with Trump, Vice President Vance, and their families in attendance, and Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde made a plea to the president. The bishop referenced Trump’s statement in his inaugural address the day before that he believed God had saved his life from last year’s assassination attempt.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde: “The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals…may I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.”
pic.twitter.com/hdayuzO2BR— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 21, 2025
“I ask you, to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families — some who fear for their lives,” the bishop said. “The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals — they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”
She also asked for mercy for those who are feeling war zones.
Naturally, one member of Congress called for the Bishop to be deported:
Sitting Congressman calls for deportation of clergy for giving a sermon that he didn’t agree with.
This should repulse every single American. pic.twitter.com/3gqCTCBnXI
— Ari Cohn (@AriCohn) January 21, 2025
Featured image via X screengrab
