"Boundaries and walls are biblical, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, God has allowed us to build our civil societies and have separate nations," the Republican Party politician told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
Previously, he had been asked by a reporter for a biblical-theological response to certain statements of the head of the church.
Leo, who is from the US, had called for a "profound reflection" on the treatment of migrants in the United States in November before reporters in Castel Gandolfo.
In the process, he recurred to the 25th Chapter in the Gospel of Matthew: "Jesus says very clearly that at the end of the world we are asked: How did you receive the stranger? Did you welcome him and welcome him or not?" the pope said at the time. "A lot of people who have lived there for years and have never caused problems are deeply affected by the current events," he added.
'This is biblical'
Johnson, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, acknowledged that immigration in Scripture would not be disapproved of, but welcomed.
“If someone comes to your country, comes to your nation, he does not have the right to change their laws or society. He is expected to assimilate.” This has not happened often in the United States recently. “We should love our neighbor as ourselves – as individuals. But the state authority, the government must uphold the law, and that is biblical.
Later, Johnson clarified his statements on the platform "X." Therefore, people should support every faith and especially Christians strong national borders.
Critics of U.S. migration policy would take Bible passages out of context to portray Christians and Jews as in disbelief "if we oppose their radical open border agenda."
Especially from the Catholic Church in the USA, there is sharp criticism of the current US immigration policy.
The Episcopal Conference had on 13. November, in a declaration almost unanimously adopted, condemns the ordered mass expulsions of illegally immigrant people.
Pope Leo, who himself spoke out against some of the U.S. government's actions in several places, specifically welcomed this statement.