The rule of law is under siege in America today. The scenes on the streets are disturbing. After four years of ignoring our laws, some public officials are now so emboldened that they are blatantly defying them.
Why are some government officials intentionally interfering in the enforcement of our nation’s immigration legislation? What explains some judges, members of Congress, mayors, governors, and others trying to keep criminal illegal aliens in our country? All Americans, including Christians, should be deeply concerned about the breakdown of the rule of law.
Historian Victor Davis Hanson observed recently that “peoples who had clearly defined and protected borders ascended to statehood, maintained a distinct culture, and achieved greater prosperity and security.”1
This has been true for centuries and is even more true today. We live in a dangerous world where many cultures reject the principles of ordered liberty under God, which is the foundation of the American Republic.
From 2021 to 2025, the Biden-Harris administration intentionally followed an open borders policy. On former President Biden’s first day in office, he stopped construction of the southern border wall. Resources were spent instead on facilitating mass migration. While obtaining an accurate number is virtually impossible, estimates suggest as many as 20 million people entered our country illegally and without proper identification.
The mass migration enabled by Biden’s open borders strained resources, overwhelmed schools and local health care systems, and contributed to increased crime. The issue of border security/immigration was a top issue in the 2024 presidential race and a major contributing factor to President Trump’s election victory.
On Inauguration Day, President Trump immediately took steps to secure the border. Without any new legislation, border crossings have decreased by 96 percent. In all the years I have worked in Washington, I have never witnessed such a dramatic increase in border security.
Now, the White House, Justice Department, and Homeland Security are working tirelessly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to apprehend illegal aliens residing in the country. They are prioritizing removing individuals who have engaged in criminal activity, including international gang members, drug cartels, and human traffickers. The effort should have universal support, particularly from government officials who take an oath to enforce our laws.
Sadly, among self-described “progressives,” there has been civil disobedience and intentional resistance. A Milwaukee judge tried to help an illegal alien escape her courtroom to avoid arrest by federal immigration authorities. An MS-13 gang member sent to an El Salvador prison became a “star” among some congressional leftists who visited him and demanded his release, claiming he did not have enough “due process” rights. (He had already been given an expulsion notice from an immigration court.)
Then a mini-riot broke out at an ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey—but not among the criminal illegal aliens inside. The rioters were the mayor of Newark and multiple liberal Congress members who shoved law enforcement officials while disobeying lawful orders. The politicians were trying to push past them in order to enter the complex, demanding the right to inspect it.
This lawlessness by “lawmakers” cannot and will not be tolerated. American citizens have a right to expect safe streets, a secure border, and enforcement of our immigration laws. I predict even more comprehensive efforts to expel illegal aliens and to hold legally accountable any government officials who refuse to uphold the law.
As Christians, we must oppose anarchy, nihilism, and the undermining and endangering of law enforcement officers. American families need law and order and safe streets.
1. Hanson, Victor Davis. 2025. “The Decivilizing of America.” VDH’s Blade of Perseus. May 12, 2025. https://victorhanson.com/the-decivilizing-of-america/.
