NO ONE WOULD MISTAKE HIM FOR A CHRISTIAN:

The announcement was met with immediate backlash from leaders of nearly every Christian denomination, along with those of other faiths. They argue that Trump's actions do not reflect the teachings of the Bible, nor the traditions of the United States, and they have urged the president to let them get back to work--many of the country's most prominent refugee resettlement organizations are faith-based.

If so many prominent Christian leaders reject the notion that their fellow Christians should get preferential treatment, why has this become Trump's policy? One possible answer is that these leaders don't necessarily reflect what their flocks believe. Even if they think an open refugee policy is in line with the teachings of Christianity, lay Americans don't necessarily feel the same way.

From religious leaders' perspectives, backlash against Trump's immigration policy may be the most ecumenical issue in America right now. Hundreds of prominent clergy signed onto a letter condemning the "derogatory language that has been used about Middle Eastern refugees and our Muslim friends and neighbors," calling on Trump to reinstate the refugee program.

While these efforts included many progressive and mainline denomination leaders, along with an interfaith coalition of other clergy, it's not just liberals who are pushing back against Trump. A wide range of conservative Christian leaders, along with other relief organizations, have also spoken out against the president's decision.

"Christ calls us to care for everyone, regardless of who they are and where they come from," said Jenny Yang, the senior vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, the arm of the National Association of Evangelicals that provides refugee and immigration resettlement services. "That has to be a core part of our witness--not just caring for our own, but caring for others as well."

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