A coalition of Christian leaders from various denominations, including Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Baptist, has urged the Senate to reject President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation package, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBA/HR 1). In a joint letter, the faith leaders expressed concerns that the legislation would fund mass deportations, harm vulnerable communities, and undermine religious freedom. They argue that the bill’s provisions would cause widespread fear in immigrant communities, separate families, and disproportionately harm the poor.
The letter highlights several contentious aspects of the bill, including the allocation of tens of billions of dollars for immigration enforcement, which the leaders believe would lead to family separations, harm US-citizen and immigrant children, and create chaos in local communities. Additionally, they oppose the policy change allowing immigration agents to enter churches and other religious spaces, previously designated as off-limits. The leaders also criticize the proposed funding for the US-Mexico border wall, citing its potential to hurt the local environment and increase the risk of deaths among asylum seekers.
The faith coalition’s opposition is rooted in their moral obligation to protect the vulnerable. “From our various faith perspectives, the moral test of a nation is how it treats those most in need of support,” the letter reads. “In our view, this legislation will harm the poor and vulnerable… Its passage would be a moral failure for American society as a whole.” The bill’s proposed cuts to healthcare and food assistance programs also drew criticism, with the leaders noting that it would transfer wealth from the bottom 10% of income earners to the top 10%.
