Donald Trump really, really, really cares about religious freedom and liberty. On paper, anyway. In practice, though? Not so much, it seems.
During his first term, Trump signed an executive order titled “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty” which stated that “all executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall, to the greatest extent practicable and to the extent permitted by law, respect and protect the freedom of persons and organizations to engage in religious and political speech.” What’s more, it issued specific tax protections for churches and religious leaders who spoke on “moral or political issues from a religious perspective.”
More recently, Trump signed an executive order to establish a Religious Liberty Commission tasked with defending and promoting religious liberty. As outlined in the order, which he signed this past May, the commission’s mandate is pretty broad (emphasis mine):
The Commission shall produce a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, the impact of religious liberty on American society, current threats to domestic religious liberty, strategies to preserve and enhance religious liberty protections for future generations, and programs to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism. Specific topics to be considered by the Commission under these categories shall include the following areas: the First Amendment rights of pastors, religious leaders, houses of worship, faith-based institutions, and religious speakers; attacks across America on houses of worship of many religions; debanking of religious entities; the First Amendment rights of teachers, students, military chaplains, service members, employers, and employees; conscience protections in the health care field and concerning vaccine mandates; parents’ authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children, including the right to choose a religious education; permitting time for voluntary prayer and religious instruction at public schools; Government displays with religious imagery; and the right of all Americans to freely exercise their faith without fear or Government censorship or retaliation.
Those words certainly sound nice. But words and actions are very different things. And the actions of Trump’s administration suggest that he cares not a single whit about religious liberty — at least, not when it comes to the individuals caught up in his immigration policies.
Case in point, the Trump administration is now banning prayer in and around at least one ICE facility.
Federal authorities told demonstrators Friday that there would be “no more prayer” in front of or inside the Broadview ICE facility, in a move that mystified local leaders and raised legal questions.
A federal representative delivered the news to a huddle of faith leaders and activists standing outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Friday, speaking after faith leaders were denied entry to the building for the third time Friday.
[…]
During the call, which took place with a Block Club reporter present, the anonymous representative told a group of faith leaders and activists that “There is no more prayer in front of building or inside the building because this is the state and it’s not [of a] religious background.”
This should come as no surprise given the Trump administration’s refusal to let Christian leaders give Communion to detainees. (Not to mention other controversial actions, like federal agents detaining individuals on church grounds, shooting pastors in the face, and allegedly confiscating a detainee’s Bible.)
Reading back through Trump’s executive orders, it’s clear that his definition of religious liberty seems primarily concerned with defending practices — conscientious objections to vaccine mandates, for example, or religious government displays — that coincide with, and promote, a specific political agenda. Anything that falls outside that agenda, like acknowledging and serving the religious needs of ICE detainees (some of whom are actually American citizens), is apparently invalid and ignored.
That should offend and infuriate all American Christians regardless of their political affiliation. Infringing on the peaceful exercise of prayer and Communion is certainly unconstitutional, and furthermore, risks violating the “least restrictive” principle put forth in 1993’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. (When the federal government wants to take action that could potentially infringe on or restrict religious practices, it must provide a compelling case for doing so and ensure that any such infringement or restriction is as minimal and unobtrusive as possible.)
But restricting prayer and Communion strikes at something deeper and more fundamental than even the First Amendment. Trump might not like hearing this given his “America First” obsession, but an American Christian’s true citizenship does not reside with the United States of America. Rather, our true and ultimate allegiance lies with the kingdom of God.
That does not mean we can’t celebrate America, participate in its politics, or seek its peace and prosperity. What it does mean, however, is that we maintain a proper hierarchy of allegiance that is not beholden to any earthly nation. As Kaitlyn Schiess notes, “an earthly nation and a heavenly kingdom will not always share the same goals.” Thus, when America’s values conflict with the values of God’s kingdom, we prioritize the latter and (if necessary) denounce the former. Our heavenly citizenship also means that in a very real sense, we share a deeper bond with someone who belongs to God’s kingdom — even if they’re detained in an ICE facility — than we do with someone just because they’re a fellow American citizen.
Put simply, the Trump administration’s restrictions on prayer and Communion aren’t just a violation of the First Amendment. They’re also fundamentally un-Christian. And even though God’s kingdom will not be thwarted or undermined by any human effort, Trump and his administration should still take care lest they be judged guilty of foolishly hindering it.