His Eminence Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, DC, is among the many faith leaders who signed a joint letter urging Senators to reject H.R. 1 on moral and humanitarian grounds.
More than 40 religious leaders from across Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith traditions have joined together to oppose H.R. 1, the Senate’s sweeping tax and budget legislation known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Pro-life Catholic bishops, Evangelical pastors, and faith leaders across the country are warning that the bill violates moral principles central to their faiths and would have devastating consequences for the poor and immigrant families.
Their opposition was formalized in a letter this week, underscoring a rare and powerful show of unity among religious leaders driven by moral conviction rather than political alignment.
The letter reflects broad concern that H.R. 1 fails the “moral test” of public policy by worsening poverty, endangering immigrant families, and eroding the dignity and security of those most vulnerable.
“From our various faith perspectives, the moral test of a nation is how it treats those most in need of support. In our view, this legislation will harm the poor and vulnerable in our nation, to the detriment of the common good. Its passage would be a moral failure for American society as a whole,” the letter reads.
At the heart of the coalition’s concern is the bill’s funding for expanded immigration enforcement, including mass deportations and a renewed push for a southern border wall, alongside cuts to healthcare and food assistance programs. According to The National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC), a prominent network of pro-life Hispanic evangelical leaders, and its partners, which include Catholic bishops and other religious leaders, those measures would disproportionately harm low-income Americans and immigrant families.
The Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President of NaLEC and lead pastor of The Gathering Place, explains why faith leaders are saying no to H.R. 1 in their radio ad: “This is not the pro-life, pro-family, pro-worker vision of our faith. We can have secure borders and safe neighborhoods, but we cannot build a thriving nation by targeting families or stripping away their support.”
A formal letter sent to U.S. Senators—signed by over 40 religious leaders across Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions—outlines the coalition’s opposition in stark terms. The letter condemns the bill’s provisions as “a moral failure for American society as a whole,” citing data from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office indicating that the legislation would exacerbate income inequality by transferring wealth from the poorest Americans to the wealthiest.
The letter highlights several specific grievances:
- Separating Families: Tens of billions of dollars are earmarked for expanded immigration enforcement, which religious leaders warn will “separate U.S. families, harm U.S.-citizen and immigrant children, and sow chaos in local communities.” The letter emphasizes that faith leaders have long supported legal pathways to citizenship for long-term immigrant residents, many of whom have contributed to the nation’s economy and communities. They argue that investing in legalization—not mass deportation—is both morally sound and in the country’s best interest.
- Fear at the Altar: The Department of Homeland Security’s removal of faith institutions from its “sensitive locations” list has left many congregations vulnerable to immigration raids. The coalition cites a drop in attendance at religious services as families fear enforcement even in places of worship.
- Endangering the Stranger at the Gate: The bill includes renewed funding for a border wall that, according to the letter, will force migrants into more dangerous terrain, increasing the likelihood of death and reliance on smugglers.
- Cutting Support to the Most Vulnerable, Including Elderly and Children: Deep reductions to Medicaid and SNAP would leave millions of low-income citizens, legal residents, and asylum-seekers without critical assistance. And with no meaningful adjustments to the Child Tax Credit, it will be harder for parents to feed their kids and take them to the doctor.
From rural dioceses in Texas and Arizona to urban congregations in Seattle and New York, signatories include Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, Rabbi Daniel Weiner, Imam Jamal Rahman, and Right Reverend Philip N. LaBelle, among dozens of others. A full list of signers and the letter itself can be viewed here.
More information on the faith coalition’s opposition to the bill is available at https://www.nalecprayer.org/.
