House Speaker Mike Johnson used Scripture to defend strong border enforcement, saying the Bible calls individuals to welcome strangers while civil authorities are charged with maintaining order. He cited Romans 13 and Ecclesiastes to justify government responsibility for law and public safety, and argued care for migrants is primarily a personal, not governmental, duty. Johnson posted a longer essay on X outlining four spheres of authority and asserting that border security can be consistent with Christian teaching.
Mike Johnson Cites Scripture to Defend Strong Borders, Distinguishing Individual Charity From Government Duty
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson made multiple lengthy cases for border security by citing Scripture and interpretation of Scripture.(Getty Images)
House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered an extended biblical defense of strong border enforcement during a Capitol Hill press conference after a reporter asked him to respond to the pope's recent use of Matthew 25:35 in discussing migrants.
What Johnson Said
Johnson said he would publish a longer written response on social media but offered a summary on the spot. He argued that Scripture supports both welcoming individual migrants and allowing civil authorities to establish and enforce national borders.
Pope Leo has stressed that the church does not push for open borders but has nonetheless called for human treatment of migrants during Donald Trump's presidency.
'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,' Johnson said. '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... When someone comes into your country, they do not have the right to change its laws or to change its society. They’re expected to assimilate.'
Biblical Arguments and Scriptural Citations
Johnson emphasized a distinction between moral duties placed on individuals and responsibilities assigned to civil authorities. He cited Romans 13 to argue that governments are charged to maintain order and, if necessary, punish wrongdoers. He also referenced Ecclesiastes 8:11 to support the claim that failure to enforce laws encourages wrongdoing, and invoked Leviticus 19 and Matthew 25 to explain his reading that care for strangers is a personal obligation rather than a direct mandate for government policy.
On his X account, Johnson shared a longer essay he said he drafted previously. In it he described Scripture as delineating four spheres of authority — the individual, the family, the church, and civil government — each with distinct responsibilities. He argued that protecting sovereign borders is compatible with Christian teaching because it preserves public order and safeguards communities.
There has been an ongoing debate over whether one can use biblical Scripture to justify open borders versus border security.
Context And Responses
Johnson framed his position as both compassionate and practical: welcoming and serving immigrants remains a personal Christian duty, while civil authorities are tasked with maintaining laws and public order. Supporters say this reading reconciles mercy with rule of law; critics argue that biblical calls to welcome strangers can, in some interpretations, imply stronger governmental protections and humane immigration policies.
Bottom line: Johnson presented a theology of ordered spheres that, in his view, justifies strong border enforcement while still affirming individual obligations of charity toward migrants.
Help us improve.
