A Florida-based pastor who voted for Donald Trump because he believed the president shared his Christian values is now reconsidering his political loyalties after immigration enforcement devastated his congregation, leaving families separated and church members afraid to attend services. To make matters worse for the pastor, he also claims he had to take a second job as a result of ICE’s crackdowns.
The Rev. Juan Carlos Calderón, who leads Un Nuevo Comienzo, an Assemblies of God church in Lake Worth Beach, said he initially supported Trump’s immigration agenda because he expected authorities to target criminals rather than immigrants without criminal records. “I was really wrong,” Calderón said in Spanish, according to Religion News Service (RNS). “They’re not looking for criminals.”
Two members of his congregation were detained and subsequently had to leave the United States, Calderón said. In one case, a pregnant U.S. citizen and her two children decided to leave the country after her husband spent three months in immigration detention. Other congregants are now afraid to go to work or attend church. As attendance and donations declined, Calderón took a second full-time job as a warehouse coordinator, ending eight years of working exclusively as a pastor.
Calderón, who previously supported Republicans, said he is now leaning toward voting for Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly, although he remains undecided about the Senate race. “Really, my loyalty isn’t to a party. My identity is in Christ. My pastoral responsibility is with the people,” he said.
Hispanic Christians Also Reconsider Trump Support
Calderón’s experience is just part of a broader struggle among Hispanic Protestants, many of whom supported Trump in 2024. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, 64 percent of Hispanic Protestant voters backed Trump that year. However, a PRRI survey released Oct. 20 found that only 31 percent of Hispanic Protestants viewed Trump favorably, down from 51 percent in 2024.
The pastor’s plight sparked heated debate online, with commenters questioning how Trump aligned with Christian values. “I will never understand how any devout Christian could possibly believe, in a million years, that Trump evinces ‘Christian values’ in any way, shape, or form,” one Reddit user wrote. Another commenter criticized the pastor’s initial support, writing, “So only after his wallet was affected.”
Others focused on the broader consequences of immigration enforcement. One user argued that the situation highlighted “how much immigrants (legal or not) contribute to the community and the economy financially.” One Reddit commenter summed up the frustration with the Democratic Party’s outreach, warning that unless Democrats do more to connect with ordinary voters, “this MAGA nightmare will just continue.”
As the midterm elections approach, Calderón is encouraging voters to participate, even as some members of his congregation consider sitting out the election. He said years of frustration with both parties’ immigration policies have left some people questioning whether either party adequately supports families.
