On March 25, 2025, video footage went viral showing a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk, being arrested by ICE agents while walking to class. Her quiet, stunned compliance—the way she whispered "I'm a student at Tufts..." as agents pulled her away—echoed through social media like a lament. Though she was later released, the imagery haunts: an unarmed woman of color, quietly disappeared in broad daylight, on a college campus.

This is not an isolated moment. It’s part of a broader climate of fear and dehumanization toward immigrants in our country—especially those whose presence challenges dominant narratives of whiteness, power, or security. In the face of all this, a friend recently asked me, “What would Jesus do?” That question hits hard. And it’s worth flipping: What did Jesus do? Because we actually have a pretty solid record.

Emotions run high and reasonable discourse runs low when the subjects of the travel ban or immigration come up. But whether you protest or praise particular policies, one thing is undebatable: both Muslims and Mexicans/Latinos face blatant discrimination in Trump’s America. Why is this the case, and how should Republican and Democrat followers of Jesus respond?

Last week Peace Catalyst President Rick Love sat down with Imam Taha Hassan of the Islamic Center of San Diego. They discussed immigration, living as a Muslim in America, Sharia, and what Christians should know about interacting with Muslims. 

The Peace Catalyst Columbus team often holds storytelling nights, forums for Muslims or refugees to share their stories with the community. This is the story of Ahmed, as told at a recent event with the topic of 'The American Dream.'

Our great nation can and must continue to be pro-refugee, pro-security and pro-religious freedom. We can welcome the refugee and keep our country safe and uphold religious freedom. We must do all three if we want to make America great and be a model of freedom for the rest of the world.