Mission to North America Releases Apology for Error in Advising Illegal Immigrants
Mission to North America (MNA) has issued a statement regarding its Refugee and Immigrant Ministry (RIM), including repenting of its previous post and offering advice to illegal immigrants on how to avoid being detained by authorities. MNA, which serves under the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) through church planting and church vitality efforts in the United States and Canada, issued a statement Wednesday regarding the matter.
"Recently, we posted links on our webpage to external organizations offering a wide range of recommendations and frequently asked questions on immigration. MNA's leadership erroneously allowed the posting of content that advised undocumented persons on ways to avoid being detained by authorities," the statement reads.
"We affirm that it is our Christian duty to obey the lawful commands of the civil magistrate and be subject to their authority (WCF 23.4; Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13-14). To counsel otherwise is a sin," the organization added. "We confess that we fell short of our Biblical and Confessional standard. We repent and apologize. We also apologize for causing confusion and consternation in our church. We have removed all the previously posted information from our website."
The following is a statement provided by the leadership of Mission to North America.https://t.co/5ShSP2FHSD
— MNA (@pcamna) February 13, 2025
According to Protestia, the now-deleted posts included a Q&A on what to do if an undocumented individual is detained by ICE.
Zachary Groff, the pastor of Antioch Presbyterian Church, Editor-in-Chief of Presbyterian Polity, Managing Editor of The Confessional Presbyterian Journal, and member of the MNA Permanent Committee, said that he received a number of concerns regarding the page and that the matter was "taken very seriously" before subsequently taking down the page off of the MNA's website.
"MNA's Refugee & Immigrant Ministry, along with other MNA ministries, seeks to serve our churches with resources that enable them to faithfully follow our Lord's call to love the stranger," the MNA's statement reads. "However, MNA does not engage in providing legal advice, political campaigning, or partisan positions. The information we post going forward will provide ecclesiastical resources in line with our Confession for guidance on the matter."
Regarding the PCA’s Mission to North America (MNA) Refugee & Immigrant Ministry resource page giving specific guidance on how to interact with law enforcement…
— Zachary Groff 📖 (@ZGroff) February 11, 2025
I have personally received text messages, DMs, and emails from PCA elders, deacons, and members in over a dozen…
The MNA concluded its statement announcing that a further discussion on the issue will take place at the MNA Permanent Committee's Spring Meeting in March.
Photo Credit: ©Facebook/Mission to North America
Originally published February 13, 2025.
