A Democratic congressman has blasted Christians who support Donald Trump's border wall, saying that if something like that had existed at the time of Jesus' birth, He would not have survived Herod's persecution.
Rep Luis Gutierrez said Mary and Joseph had been able to flee with baby Jesus because there was no border wall blocking their entry to Egypt.
He made the comments during a House Judiciary Committee session to discuss Trump's proposed wall, which was a centrepiece of the president's election campaign.
'It is repugnant to me, and astonishing to me, that during Christmas — I like to call them the holiday seasons to be inclusive, but during Christmas because the majority always wants to just call it Christmas — that during Christmas, a time in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, a Jesus Christ who had to flee for his life with Mary and Joseph, thank God there wasn't a wall that stopped him from seeking refuge in Egypt,' Gutierrez said.
'Thank God that wall wasn't there, thank God there wasn't any administration like this, or he would have to have perished on the 28th, on the Day of the Innocents, when Herod ordered the murder of every child under two years of age.'
He continued: 'Maybe I haven't gone a lot to Bible school, but I know that part. Thank God. Shame on everybody that separates children and allows them to stay at the other side of the border fearing death, fearing hunger, fearing sickness. Shame on us for wearing a badge of Christianity during Christmas, and allow the secretary to come here and lie.'
Parts of the US government have shut down early as lawmakers remain at loggerheads over $5bn in funding for the wall along the border with Mexico.
But even as lawmakers are fighting over the funding, a disabled Florida veteran has raised over $15m in just six days since launching a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the wall.
Brian Kolfage, a triple amputee who served in Iraq, is already well on his way towards his $1bn target.
His GoFundMe page states: 'As a veteran who has given so much, 3 limbs, I feel deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today. Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers with no means of ever contributing to our society.
'I have grandparents who immigrated to America legally, they did it the correct way and it's time we uphold our laws, and get this wall BUILT!It's up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling.
'If the 63 million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall. That equates to roughly 5Billion Dollars, even if we get half, that's half the wall. We can do this.'
Pastor Robert Jeffress, a staunch Trump supporter, hit back at Rep Gutierrez by claiming that building a border wall was consistent with the Bible.
'Had there been a wall in Egypt, God would have obliterated it or He would have sent the family some place else,' the pastor told Fox News.
'God wasn't about to allow His Son to be murdered prematurely before His appointed time on the cross.'
He continued: 'God is not against walls, walls are not un-Christian. The Bible says even Heaven is going to have a wall around it, not everyone is going to be allowed in.'
