Latino Christian National Network Responds to Introduction of the Dignity Act of 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2025
Contact: Rev. Efrain Pineda
revpineda@lcnn.org
Statement from the Latino Christian National Network on the Dignity Act of 2025
As Christian leaders representing diverse theological perspectives within the Latino community, the Latino Christian National Network (LCNN) feels compelled to address the recently introduced Dignity Act of 2025.
We are spiritual leaders called to guide, inspire, and protect the flock entrusted to our care. Our loyalty belongs first to our Lord Jesus Christ and to our people. Words cannot fully express the suffering and fear that Latino communities endure in the United States today. Their pain is our pain. As we have always done, we will walk alongside our immigrant brothers and sisters and stand with them.
The Holy Bible clearly states: “Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens” (Lev. 19.34). As followers of Christ, we are called to “welcome the stranger” (Matthew 25:35) and to seek justice for the oppressed. Scripture consistently calls us to care for the foreigner among us with the same love we show our neighbors.
As followers of Jesus, we affirm the vital role of government as a servant of the people. As church leaders, we are grateful for the bipartisan effort to address the pressing challenges of our nation’s immigration system.
While we commend this and any sincere legislative attempt to improve immigration policy, we also feel compelled to express concern over certain provisions in the proposed legislation. Guided by the witness of the gospel and the call to love our neighbor, we hope this initiative marks the beginning of a broader national conversation, one that leads to immigration reform grounded in dignity, compassion, and justice for all.
We are ready to join leaders across all sectors and our legislators to forge immigration reform that fully reflects our nation’s values.
We recognize that immigration is a complex issue requiring balanced solutions. However, creating a permanent second-class status for millions of people—many of whom are our fellow Christians and community members—is inconsistent with both American values and Christian teaching about human dignity.
Our Assessment
The Dignity Act of 2025, despite its name, falls short of providing the dignity and justice our immigrant brothers and sisters deserve. While the legislation offers some protections, including temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for undocumented immigrants who have been in the country since December 31, 2020, it fundamentally fails to recognize the full humanity and potential contributions of millions of people.
What We Support in the Proposed Legislation
We do acknowledge some positive elements in the legislation:
- Protection from deportation for long-term residents
- Work authorization that allows people to support their families legally
- Provisions for Dreamers to eventually obtain permanent status
- Efforts to reduce visa backlogs and processing delays
However, these limited improvements cannot overshadow the bill’s fundamental flaws.
Key Concerns:
Limited Path to Full Membership: Unlike previous versions, this bill eliminates pathways to permanent residency and citizenship for most undocumented immigrants, TPS holders, and agricultural workers. Instead, it creates a renewable 7-year status that essentially establishes a permanent underclass—people who can work and pay taxes but cannot vote, sponsor family members, or fully participate in American civic life.
Financial Burden on Vulnerable Communities: The legislation requires immigrants to pay $7,000 in fees while simultaneously imposing a 1% tax on their income to fund the very program that denies them full citizenship. This places an undue financial burden on families who are often already struggling economically.
Restrictive Enforcement Measures: The bill authorizes expanded border wall construction, increases penalties for illegal reentry to up to 10 years in prison, and establishes mandatory E-Verify—measures that contradict any genuine commitment to immigrant dignity.
Our Call to Action
We call upon Congress to:
1. Provide genuine pathways to citizenship for all long-term residents who meet reasonable requirements, not just a renewable temporary status.
2. Ensure family unity by allowing beneficiaries to sponsor immediate family members, as family is the cornerstone of both our communities and our faith.
3. Remove punitive funding mechanisms that force immigrants to pay for their own continued exclusion from full American participation.
4. Balance security measures with humanitarian concerns, avoiding policies that criminalize desperation and separate families.
5. Engage in good-faith negotiations that prioritize human dignity over political positioning.
This is Our Commitment
As Christian leaders, we commit to:
- Continuing to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that reflects biblical values of justice and mercy.
- Supporting our immigrant community members regardless of their legal status.
- Encouraging our congregations to engage in informed, compassionate dialogue about immigration.
- Working with leaders across political and denominational lines to achieve meaningful reform.
- Engage in and support constructive dialogue aimed at finding solutions that reflect biblical principles of justice and compassion toward immigrants.
We believe that our nation can and must do better. Our nation’s history of welcoming immigrants and our Christian heritage of showing mercy to the vulnerable demand more than the limited vision offered by the Dignity Act of 2025.
We urge Congress to return to the drawing board and craft legislation that truly honors the dignity of every person created in God’s image. Until then, we will continue to stand with our immigrant brothers and sisters, offering not just our prayers, but our advocacy and support.
“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” - Matthew 25:35
*The Latino Christian National Network represents Christian leaders from diverse theological perspectives united in our commitment to justice, mercy, and the dignity of all people. For more information about our organization and advocacy efforts, please contact Rev. Efrain Pineda, at revpineda@lcnn.org.
The following Christian leaders have signed this statement in their personal capacity.
(The names of their denominations and organizations are included solely for identification purposes and do not imply institutional endorsement.)
LCNN Board
Rev. Carlos Malave
President, Latino Christian National Network
Rev. Ruben Ortiz
Secretary of the board of LCNN
Latino Field Ministries Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra
Academic Dean, Centro Latino Fuller
Rev. Lori Tapia
National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Agustin Quiles
President Mission Talk
Ms. Ingrid Delgado
Rev. Carlos Rincon
Senior Pastor, Centro de Vida Victoriosa AG
CEO/ Founder of Instituto de Avance Latino CDC
National and Local Leaders
Rev. John Harold Caicedo
Christian Reformed Church NA
Rev. Abner Coto-Bonilla
American Baptist Churches USA
Rev. Dr. Edwin David Aponte
Dean, Drew University Theological School
Rev. Crystal Sylva McCormick
Austin Presbyterian Seminary
Rev. Pedro Agudelo
Hispanic Ministries Reformed Church in America
Ms. Sandy Ovalle
Founder Coyolxauhqui Strategies
Rev. Efrain Pineda
Founder & President, Congreso RED & Vida Church
Pr. William Chamagua
License minister, Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ (ALJC.ORG)
Bishop Jessee Yañez
Regional Bishop of Midwest Rocky Mtn.
Church of God of the Prophecy
Rev. Alexandra Zareth
Directora, Mujeres en Victoria
Rev. Michael Mata
Los Angeles First Church of the Nazarene (founding church)
Mr. Elket Rodriguez
CBF Global Migration Advocate
Rev. Jaime Lazaro
Executive Director of Cyclical INC
Ms. Anyra Cano
Fellowship Southwest
Sergio Navarrete, D. Min.
Director of Hispanic Initiative, AGTS Evangel University
Rev. Elizabeth D. Rios, EdD, D. Min
Founder, Passion2Plant & The Passion Center
Rev. Abigail Medina Betancourt
American Baptist Churches USA
Obispa Minerva G. Carcano
United Methodist Church
Ms. Nately Mora Sorenson
Executive Director, Gaston Christian Center
Raul B. Alegria
Brentwood United Methodist Church, Brentwood TN
Rev. Jose Vindel
United Methodist Church
Dr. Robert Chao Romero
UCLA, profesor of Chicano and Asian Studies
Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo
General Secretary, The General Commission on Religion and Race
Rev. Dr. Lydia E. Munoz
Executive Director, El Plan for Hispanic/ Latine Ministry of the United Methodist Church
Pastor Eduardo Caceres
Pastor de la Iglesia de Dios de la Profecia de Lynn, MA.
Rev. Daniel Velez
Rev. Dr. Joel Hortiales
California-Pacific Conference the Methodist Church
Ms. Priscilla Baca
Bishop Joel N. Martinez
Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church
Bishop Elias Galvan
The United Methodist Church