Some Christians are denouncing the White Houses cruelty after President Donald Trumps administration defended federal agents use of tear gas at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Clergy and laypeople chimed in on social media Monday to express their dismay at border agents decision to fire tear gas at hundreds of migrants including children as they attempted to forcefully breach a fence at the San Ysidro border crossing Sunday.
The wind carried fumes from several rounds of tear gas to people hundreds of feet away who were not attempting to enter the U.S., The Associated Press reported.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen defended her agencys use of tear gas, saying that the migrants threw projectiles at U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.
The Department of Homeland Security will not tolerate this type of lawlessness, Nielsen tweeted Sunday.
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No serious injuries were reported from the incident, according to The Washington Post.
Photographs taken by Reuters photographer Kim Kyung-Hoon showed a Honduran mother desperately trying to drag two small children away as the tear gas spread. In another photo, one of the little girls, who is wearing only a T-shirt and diaper, weeps after running from the gas.
The photos and videos from the border sparked outrage among progressive Christian leaders and activists. Despite Trumps promise to protect Christians and their values, some suggested the president hasnt done a good job of defending the core Christian value of welcoming the stranger.
Christians on Twitter pointed to a Bible passage that has become a rallying cry for those morally opposed to the Trump administrations hard-line stances on immigration Matthew 25 . In that chapter, Jesus teaches his followers that those who care for strangers and others in need will be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.
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The Trump administration is firing tear gas at asylum seekers (women & children too) to manufacture a crisis & build his wall.
\"I was a stranger and you did not welcome me\" - Matt 25:43
Jesus was very clear: rejecting the stranger is rejecting God.
(: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters) pic.twitter.com/jt3Hin7Xzp
The Trump administration is firing tear gas at asylum seekers (women & children too) to manufacture a crisis & build his wall.
NETWORK (@NETWORKLobby) November 26, 2018
"I was a stranger and you did not welcome me" - Matt 25:43
Jesus was very clear: rejecting the stranger is rejecting God.
(: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters) pic.twitter.com/jt3Hin7Xzp
When I was a stranger, you fired teargas at me. -Jesus https://t.co/0AUpl6Ctyw
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christianity","slug":"progressive-christianity","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/progressive-christianity","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/progressive-christianity","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/progressive-christianity"},"relegenceId":3559296,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Progressives","slug":"progressives","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/progressives"},{"name":"San Ysidro Port of Entry","slug":"san-ysidro-port-of-entry","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/san-ysidro-port-of-entry","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/san-ysidro-port-of-entry","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/san-ysidro-port-of-entry"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/san-ysidro-port-of-entry"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["\r\n\r\n","\r\n\r\n","\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">When I was a stranger, you fired teargas at me. -Jesus https://t.co/0AUpl6Ctyw
Shane Claiborne (@ShaneClaiborne) November 25, 2018
The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, decried the myths that have led Americans to turn their backs on migrants who have come to the border seeking asylum.
Remember what Jesus said about welcoming the stranger, Martin said in a video for the Catholic magazine America. He did not say welcome them when they had the right papers. He did not say welcome them when there was zero risk. He did not say welcome them when you could afford it. Jesus said, welcome them.
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Watch Rev. James Martins video about asylum seekers below.
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