Korean American Christians Grapple with Faith and Law after Massive Immigration Raid

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Korean American Christians have issued mixed responses to the recent immigration raids targeting Korean nationals in the U.S.

On September 4, more than 300 Korean nationals were detained as part of a large-scale deportation operation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a battery‐manufacturing plant in Georgia co-owned by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. The raid was considered the largest single-site operation by U.S. immigration authorities as the detainees were accused of overstaying visas or entering the U.S. illegally, though some workers disputed those claims.

As reported by Christianity Today, the raids have been met with both support and criticism from Korean American Christians.

Christina Shin, a 35-year-old office manager in Atlanta, addressed the matter on TikTok in response to other Korean Americans Christians who say “illegal is illegal.”

“We are privileged that our parents got here legally, got the paperwork, made us be born in the States,” Shin said to second-generation Korean Americans who support immigration.

She noted how some responses from Korean American Christians made her “blood boil.”

“It doesn’t seem like they have any empathy for their community members,” she told CT.

At the same time, however, she chose not to address the raid at her church to avoid dissension.

“I don’t want to be the one causing drama and stuff, especially at a church discussion where we’re trying to love each other,” she said.

Samuel Shon, 34, a small business owner and deacon in Fairfax, Virginia argued in favor of immigration yet maintained sympathy for immigrants.

“A crime is a crime, but that does not mean that I’m less compassionate on the person,” said Shon, whose parents immigrated from Korea to the U.S. in the 1980s.

“I feel for them, because they’re just trying to do what’s best for their family, for their individual selves,” he added.

Shon also spoke on legal pathways to US citizenship, acknowledging its challenges and noting how it reflects biblical submission to authorities.

“I don’t think it ought to be an easy process. It should be difficult, much like citizenship in heaven … that was bought with a price,” he said.

Raymond Chang, a pastor and the president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, noted that the silence on immigration at church is due to several reasons. These include not wanting to draw attention to vulnerable undocumented congregants, pastors who received complaints from congregants who don’t want them speaking too much on current events, and avoiding political disagreements.

“There’s a lot of … churches that are trying to figure out [how to] disciple people in the midst of all the political division that we’re seeing” Chang said. “The conversation is so polarizing and toxic and loud.”

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Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.