The anarchy unfolding in major U.S. cities is deeply disturbing. There can be no Christian support or justification for the violence against federal immigration police in Los Angeles and other cities in recent days.

Our immigration laws are passed by Congress and signed by the president. Immigration police officers are charged with enforcing those laws and apprehending those who have violated them. That is what they are currently doing. Violent attacks on federal law enforcement officials jeopardize the rule of law and must not be tolerated.

Unfortunately, in the previous four years, America’s borders were virtually erased. No one knows the exact number, but somewhere from 10 to 12 million undocumented migrants entered our nation during those years. Polls indicated this issue was a major factor in the 2024 presidential election that resulted in a landslide Electoral College victory for President Trump. Fortunately, our borders are now secured.

In our great country we have “the right of the people peaceably to assemble.”¹ Those who oppose enforcing immigration laws have that right, as well as the freedom of speech. But that is not what has happened in Los Angeles.

Police officers were physically attacked. Stores were looted, and vehicles were destroyed by arson. Major highways were shut down by “demonstrators,” putting lives in danger. There were attempts to take over federal buildings. Police stations were vandalized. Many in the mob waved the flags of foreign countries while burning the American flag.² Buildings were spray-painted with “Death to America.”³

Federal immigration police have limited resources. Most of their enforcement efforts have been aimed at people who entered the country undocumented and have committed crimes while in the United States.

Among those arrested by the Los Angeles law enforcement operation were men charged with attempted rape, sexual battery, assault with a deadly weapon, drug smuggling, child cruelty, and human trafficking. Here is another example: Last month, 142 criminal aliens who had collectively committed 473 crimes were arrested in Houston, Texas.⁴ Many of the offenses were violent.

Does any normal citizen believe that our government removing dangerous individuals from our communities is unjust, unwise, or unreasonable?

This violent reaction to authorized law enforcement has been caused in the past by irresponsible rhetoric from elected officials, including the governor of California, who have compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to Nazis.⁵ This rhetoric is dangerous and must end now.

Bill Clinton tripled the number of deportations carried out each year of his presidency compared to his predecessor, George H. W. Bush. The Left and its media allies were silent. Barack Obama holds the record for the total number of deportations during any administration at just over three million. Neither President Clinton nor President Obama faced the kind of violence being deployed against federal immigration police now. Respect for the law has obviously dramatically declined.

What does God’s Word say about the obligation to obey the law? Romans 13:1-4 is clear:

Fortunately, we live in a country where we can peacefully oppose an unjust law and work for its repeal. But we have no justification biblically or constitutionally to employ violence against lawful authorities as they do their jobs.

Please join JDFI in praying for peace in America’s streets. Pray for the safety of the brave men and women trying to protect us from violent criminals, human traffickers, and drug cartels.

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1. Congress.GoV. 1791. “U.S. Constitution – First Amendment,” Constitution.congress.gov. Library of Congress. December 15, 1791. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/.
2. Hagstrom, Anders. 2025. “Anti-ICE Protesters in Los Angeles Spit on and Burn American Flag.” Fox News. June 9, 2025, https://www.foxnews.com/us/anti-ice-protesters-los-angeles-spit-burn-american-flag.
3. Larry Kudlow, “LARRY KUDLOW: Law & Order Crushed L.A. riots,” Fox Business, Fox News Network, June 10, 2025, https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/larry-kudlow-law-order-crushed-l-a-riots.
4. “ICE Houston Deports 142 Criminal Aliens to Mexico in Past 2 Weeks Who as a Group Have Been Convicted of 473 Crimes, Illegally Entered US 480 Times.” 2025. Ice.gov. June 3, 2025. https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-houston-deports-142-criminal-aliens-mexico-past-2-weeks-who-group-have-been#.
5. Cameron Arcand, “DHS fires back at Democrats for ‘beyond the pale’ rhetoric as ICE agents face wave of violent threats,” Fox News, June 9, 2025, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dhs-fires-back-democrats-beyond-pale-rhetoric-ice-agents-face-wave-violent-threats