Jack Graham from Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano said US president Donald Trump's daughter was moved to give $50,000 to the church soon after a tweet Graham posted.
The pastor tweeted: "We @Prestonwood are currently working to provide solutions to care for children during this terrible immigration crisis. Our Espanol ministry let by Gilberto Corredera is stepping up to the challenge to express the love of Jesus. We are broken-hearted and determined to act."
Graham told an NBC affiliate that he wasn't "surprised at her generosity".
The donation came before Mr Trump's executive order U-turn that ended family separation at the border.
Graham said a group from his church plans to head down to the southern border on Tuesday and is hopeful Ivanka will join them.
"In the midst of all this political division... God's people can show love and compassion and help, which is what we want to do," Graham added.
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