House Speaker Mike Johnson offered a detailed biblical defense of border enforcement on Tuesday after being asked about recent remarks by Pope Leo concerning migrants and immigration policy, as reported by Fox News.
Johnson addressed the issue during a press conference on Capitol Hill after a reporter referenced comments from the pope citing Matthew 25:35 in criticism of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
The reporter asked Johnson how he would respond to Pope Leo using Scripture.
While Pope Leo has previously stated the Catholic Church does not advocate for “open borders,” he has repeatedly emphasized the humane treatment of migrants.
In October, he referenced Matthew 25:31–40 in his Apostolic Exhortation DILEXI TE, writing that the Church has long recognized “in migrants a living presence of the Lord,” quoting the passage, “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.”
Johnson said he would publish a longer explanation later in the day but offered an immediate response.
“Borders and walls are biblical — from the Old Testament to the New, God has allowed us to set up our civil societies and have separate nations,” Johnson said.
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“Immigration is not something that’s frowned upon in Scripture. In fact, it’s welcomed. We are to welcome the sojourner and love our neighbor as ourselves. But what’s also important in the Bible is that assimilation is expected, and anticipated, and proper. When someone comes into your country, comes into your nation, they do not have the right to change its laws or to change its society. They’re expected to assimilate. We haven’t had a lot of that going on.”
Johnson went on to distinguish between the responsibilities placed on individuals versus those assigned to governing authorities.
“When people cite passages out of the Old Testament, I say, ‘Well, you’re supposed to take care of the sojourner and the neighbor and treat them as yourself, welcome them in,’” Johnson said.
“Yes, but that is an admonition to individuals, not to civil authorities. The civil authorities are given authority under Scripture to maintain order.”
He cited the Book of Romans in support of that position.
“Romans 13 says that the civil authorities are God’s agents of wrath to bring punishment upon the wrongdoer,” Johnson said. “It’s a calling to maintain order in society. And we have not had that.”
WATCH: Speaker Mike Johnson just provided BIBLICAL justification for border security, enforcement, and assimilation@SpeakerJohnson: “Borders and walls are Biblical, from the Old Testament to the New.” pic.twitter.com/Zu8BqLG5eA
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) February 3, 2026
Johnson argued that recent immigration policies have allowed criminal migrants to enter the United States and said biblical teaching supports a nation’s right to prevent that.
“Sovereign borders are biblical and good and right, and they’re just,” Johnson said. “It’s not because we hate the people on the outside. It’s because we love the people on the inside.”
Later that day, Johnson expanded on his remarks in a post on X.
“In the press gaggle following today’s vote, I was asked to defend the Biblical case for border security and immigration enforcement,” Johnson wrote.
“I did so, and then promised to post a longer explanation that I drafted during the Biden Administration.”
In the accompanying essay, Johnson wrote that Scripture establishes “four distinct spheres of authority — (1) the individual, (2) the family, (3) the church, and (4) civil government,” each with separate responsibilities.
He cited Romans 13:1–4 and Ecclesiastes 8:11, writing that civil authorities are charged “to do justice, to ‘bear the sword,’ and to serve as ‘the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.’”
Johnson also addressed Leviticus 19 and Matthew 25, arguing that those passages direct individual believers, not governments, to acts of charity.
“Showing love and kindness to a stranger was not a command given to civil government, but instead to individual believers,” Johnson wrote.
He concluded that Scripture is often misused to argue for “open borders,” saying Christians are called to both compassion and support for a just government.
Johnson maintained that strong border enforcement aligns with biblical teaching and Christian values.
In the press gaggle following today’s vote, I was asked to defend the Biblical case for border security and immigration enforcement. I did so, and then promised to post a longer explanation that I drafted during the Biden Administration. Here it is, and I hope it’s helpful:… pic.twitter.com/tHC4kf7uEC
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 3, 2026
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