Illinois Church Sign: “Hell Has Open Borders” [VIDEO]

Suburban Chicago’s Daily Herald reports:

An electronic sign outside a Palatine church has sparked controversy with its use of metaphorical immigration-related language. “Heaven has strict immigration laws, hell has open borders,” reads the sign at New Hope Community Church.

The church is near Winston Campus Middle School, 900 E. Palatine Road, which has a substantial Hispanic student population.

The relationship between the school district and the church has been rocky for years. Church leaders in the past have confronted district officials about book content in school libraries and other teachings.

Chicago’s ABC affiliate reports:

The sign has people stopping in their cars and on foot, questioning its meaning and the meaning of it for their village. “Part of why we moved to Palatine was the diversity being able to show our kids that and everyone should have opportunity and love each other and seeing something like this is really upsetting,” said resident Katharine Huddleston.

“I couldn’t quite believe that that was a message going out in my community,” said resident Theresa Greinig. Pastor James Pittman said politics have no place in his church. “Immigration is a topic in the communities so what we’ve been doing on our sign for quite some time, is take what’s going on in the community and turn it towards heaven,” he said.

Earlier today a coalition of 27 progressive religious groups sued the Trump administration for allowing ICE raids during church services.