ELCA Statement on Supreme Court Ruling That Allows Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement
September 11, 2025
I am deeply troubled by incidents of racial profiling* that are happening across this country in the name of law enforcement and national security. Such inhumane treatment is being employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in wanton immigration stops, targeting individuals based on race, ethnicity, language, occupation or location. In particular, I and many in this church lament the Supreme Court action of Sept. 8 in which the court granted a stay of a lower court’s restraining order that had limited such enforcement practices in Los Angeles while judicial action is pending.
My concern is grounded in Scripture, ELCA social teaching and care for our neighbors. Scripture is clear: every human being is created in the image of God. Racial profiling denies that image and violates the dignity it confers. It is not only unjust — it is inhumane. This church’s teaching is also clear, having expressed grave objections to patterns of racial, ethnic and religious profiling because it “stigmatizes those who are innocent of any offense” (ELCA social statement The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries, p. 40). Every neighbor, regardless of immigration status, deserves safety, dignity and equal protection under the law. Racial profiling, a legacy of white supremacy, is rooted in the sin of racism (ELCA social statement Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture, p. 5).
As your presiding bishop, I want to speak directly to the Latiné community. I want you to know that I and other leaders of this church see what is happening and join you in calling out this injustice. In particular, the Supreme Court’s reversal of the stay is a dangerous shift, exposing the Latiné community and other vulnerable communities to discriminatory treatment that threatens civil liberties and undermines constitutional protections. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in her response to the ruling, sounded this urgent alarm: “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job.”
I want to be clear that, though this ruling effectively singles out the Latiné community, it also sets a precedent that will erode constitutional safeguards for all of us. I am reminded of the poem “First They Came,” derived from a speech by German Pastor Martin Niemöller: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.” This famous quotation illustrates how the systematic targeting of marginalized groups can escalate when people fail to defend others’ rights, as happened when most people remained silent during the rise of Nazi persecution in Germany. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of quietism and inaction in the face of injustice.
To meet this moment, God calls us to advocacy. Guided by God’s law in the Scriptures, which demand justice and seek the well-being of all, the ELCA calls upon policymakers and community leaders to:
• Honor or restore constitutional safeguards against racial and ethnic profiling.
• Reverse policies and practices that normalize discrimination or exclusion.
• Reaffirm a shared commitment to justice that upholds the worth of every neighbor.
• Work for an immigration system that protects the dignity of all.
In accompaniment and solidarity with our neighbors, use these AMMPARO resources to inform your ministry and protect the safety of our Latiné community:
* Racial profiling: “The use, typically by law enforcement, of a person’s racial or ethnic characteristics in the decision to detain or question the person about potential criminal activity” (ELCA social statement The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries, p. 51).
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
