Dr David Muir, a lecturer in Ministerial Theology at Roehampton University and the Co-Chair of the National Church Leaders Forum, also warned against making things even more difficult for people who have risked their lives to come to the UK.
He made the comments after Prime Minister David Cameron announced that foreign workers could have their wages seized by police and face deportation without appeal if they are in the UK illegally.
It's part of a wider crackdown on illegal immigration.
It is expected he will use the Queen's Speech to say the government will make UK a less attractive place to come and work to deter illegal workers.
He will also unveil plans to make it a criminal offence for businesses to recruit abroad without advertising in the UK first.
Dr Muir told Premier's News Hour: "If you're going to make Britain a less attractive place, that's rather relative - less attractive compared to what?
"If you're fleeing persecution, you're one of the folks who find themselves in the Mediterranean sea, it's a life or death thing.
"Are we going to make our country so, so, so awful that we're going to treat people less than should they should be treated, so I think we just need to be careful."
He added that Jesus and his family were refugees who found refuge and help in Egypt.
Listen to Premier's Antony Bushfield speak with David Muir here:
Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "The latest figures are appalling.
"We need to stop and think where this mass immigration is leading.
"It points to a probable increase of three million in the UK population over the next five years in the face of very strong public opinion. Any further cuts in resources for immigration control would be absurd.
"The government are right to focus on the need to ensure departure. Non-EU migrants are arriving at a rate of 300,000 a year but only 100,000 are leaving. It seems that half of those staying on (about 100,000) originally arrived as students.
"Meanwhile, the nearly 50% increase in net EU migration suggests that simply curtailing benefits is unlikely to be effective."
