Millions of illegal immigrants have streamed into the United States in recent years, a surge some critics pan as detrimental to the American way of life. Many of the faith-based entities who bear the weight of guiding the newcomers to firm ground say otherwise. They worry the nationalist rhetoric they hear from a growingly influential faction in the Republican Party is anti-immigrant and, by default, anti-American.

In fiscal 2023, official estimates put encounters of illegal immigrants at the border at 2.5 million. That came after another historic high of 2.8 million border encounters in fiscal 2022. The government estimates approximately 7 million illegal immigrants have settled in the U.S. during the Biden administration. As illegal immigration has reached historic highs in the last four years, the border has become a top conservative talking point this election cycle.