A storm is quietly brewing within North America’s faith communities as a growing list, sources say, is quietly being compiled, targeting illegal immigrant pastors and overstaying visiting ministers in the United States (US) and Canada.
The list, reportedly spearheaded by a group of anti-human trafficking and anti-illegal immigration advocates, is intended to support a petition demanding that both governments investigate and potentially deport the offending pastors.
According to inside sources, the individuals compiling the list claim they are acting out of concern for national security, Christian integrity, and the sanctity of immigration laws.
They argue that a significant number of Protestant, Pentecostal, and Evangelical pastors from abroad are abusing the system, arriving on temporary religious visas, only to overstay and pursue permanent residency or citizenship under questionable pretenses.
“These pastors came on temporary visiting visas to lead specific church societies for a limited time,” said Samuel, one of the petition organisers who declined to give his full name for security reasons.
“But many have broken their agreement, defected from the churches that brought them here, and started their own ministries, all while staying in the country illegally.”
Samuel emphasised that the group is not against Christianity or foreign pastors, but against “fraudulent religious leaders who exploit their spiritual office for personal gain.”
He cited specific examples where pastors, after completing their official terms, refused to return to their home countries and instead formed splinter groups to legitimise their stay.
In some troubling cases, pastors have even altered their core doctrines or church affiliations to fit political or immigration agendas.
“Some ministers who were once vocally against same-sex marriage have reversed their stance just to gain favour with immigration authorities or to sign donation agreements with LGBTQ+ organisations,” Samuel revealed.
Red flags raised within church communities
Concerned members from various African and Caribbean church communities in North America are also speaking out.
They accuse certain visiting pastors of sowing division, prioritising personal luxury over pastoral care, and causing the collapse of previously vibrant congregations.
“These pastors come here and instead of strengthening the society, they split it — introducing factionalism, chasing wealth, and neglecting the spiritual needs of members,” said a spokesperson from a West African evangelical group in Toronto. “The gospel becomes secondary to immigration ambitions.”
In recent years, some Protestant, Pentecostal, and Evangelical denominations have reported a decline in attendance, rising internal disputes, and the formation of multiple breakaway churches, all of which they attribute, in part, to controversial leadership decisions made by these visiting pastors.
Policy shift proposed
As part of the petition, advocates are also calling on the Canadian and U.S. governments to revise their religious visa policies. Rather than issuing visas to foreign pastors to head societies in North America, they propose investing in the training and ordination of local ministers to lead these congregations.
“It makes more sense to raise pastors within the communities they’ll be serving,” Samuel noted.
“That would reduce dependency on foreign clergy and eliminate the risk of visa overstays and manipulation.”
Historical echoes
The controversy brings to mind the 2014 case where 36 Ghanaian football fans were denied Canadian visas ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The denials were reportedly triggered by fears that the applicants would seek asylum, a fear stemming from past instances like the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where some fans never returned home.
More recently, 25 alleged fake sports journalists were turned away from entering Australia during the Commonwealth Games, a case that reinforces how deeply concerns around visa abuse run across sectors, not just within faith-based circles.
Call for accountability
Samuel concluded with a moral challenge: “How can ministers of God, who are supposed to preach righteousness, be the same ones involved in dishonest immigration schemes? It’s a betrayal of the very gospel they claim to represent.”
As the petition gains momentum, it remains to be seen how North American governments will respond to this sensitive intersection of faith, law, and immigration policy.
But one thing is clear: the debate over illegal immigrant pastors is no longer just a whisper in the pews. It’s gradually getting a headline on the national stage.
By Stephen Armah Quaye
