Religious and Political Discourse on Immigration: A Case Study of a Red-Zone Community in New Mexico

• In Event: Language, Borders, and Belonging: Multilingual Futures and Immigrant Students

Abstract

This paper examines how religious and political discourse shape narratives of leadership, safety, and belonging in a conservative region of New Mexico, situated within broader national debates about immigration and national identity. This study uses thematic analysis informed by Christian nationalism to analyze sermons and local school board meetings to answer the research question, “How do religious and political discourses frame leadership, safety, and belonging in a red-zone community?” Preliminary findings highlight themes linking fear, faith, and safety to trust in authority. In sermons, protection and belonging are connected to obedience and alignment with divinely guided leadership. Similar themes appear in school board meetings, where discussions of safety, leadership, and community values shape expectations of belonging within local educational spaces

Authors

• Jenna Doane, The University of New Mexico

• Yi-Shan Li, The University of Texas System

• Gretchen Ponder, University of New Mexico