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Migration, Refugees & Immigration
The Episcopal Church seeks to address issues of global migration and their root causes as the number of displaced people surpasses 70 million worldwide. We work to protect the human rights and safety of refugees by supporting the refugee resettlement work of Episcopal Migration Ministries. Further, we are committed to advocating for humane immigration policies that respect the dignity and worth of every human being and for comprehensive immigration reform.
Begin your advocacy with this Overview of Advocacy on Refugee and Immigration Issues, then scroll down for more specific issue areas.
Recent Immigration Resources and Chances for Action
You CAN take action to support immigrants: advocating for humane and sensible policies, supporting dioceses providing ministry along the southern border, partnering with Episcopal Migration Ministries, working with undocumented individuals in your community, and much more. Learn, donate, advocate, and share the resources below. Moreover, immigrants are valuable members of our Churches and communities across the U.S. Write to us with questions eppn@episcopalchurch.org.
Learn: Response to the Border: Education and Advocacy
Act: 10 Actions to Accompany Undocumented Immigrants
Join: Partners in Welcome, a network for welcoming immigrants and empowering the local ministries engaging with them
Advocate: Defend access to asylum
Share: Know Your Rights information to help people in your community know what rights they have
Pray: Use The Migrant Cycle of Prayer for those in detention facilities, prepared by St. Mark's Capitol Hill
Watch: Listen & Learn: Border Advocacy and Ministry webinar with Episcopal Migration Ministries!
Diocesan Opportunities to Engage
Donate: Learn what the Diocese of the Rio Grande needs most to support their ministry along the border.
Donate: Join the work of the Diocese of Arizona's Cruzando Fronteras
Donate: Immigration ministries of the Diocese of West Texas
Resources Developed by The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church Immigration and Refugee Resolutions
10 Actions to Accompany Undocumented Immigrants
Immigration One-pager from the Office of Government Relations
Latin American Bishops Call On Us To Love Our Neighbor (2018)
WATCH: "Loving Your Neighbor: Faithful Action on Immigration" webinar
Immigration Debate and the Government Shutdown, from January 9th
Statement on the Shutdown, from January 23rd
Episcopal Farmworker Ministry
Episcopal Sacred Resistance-Los Angeles
Resources Developed by Partners
Family preparedness plan
Supporting and Protecting Undocumented Students
How the United States Immigration System Works
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States
AFSC Know Your Rights
What does legal immigration look like?
Interfaith Platform on Humane Immigration Reform
Family Immigration Detention
Directory for Low-cost or Free Legal Assistance in all 50 States
Resources to Prepare for Raids
National Farm Worker Ministry
PICO National Network
Interfaith Immigration Coalition
Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)
Maintaining Access to Asylum and Protecting Family Unity
The Episcopal Church supports access to asylum (protection granted by a nation) and family unity as key parts of our humanitarian protection system. Learn more about how to take action to defend access to asylum and to stop families from being separated.
Defend access to asylum!
Presiding Bishop Curry joins faith leaders' statement on children in detention 6/6/2019
Backgrounder on Detention and Immigration updated: 6/26/2018
Five Investments In Our Immigration System To Address The "Crisis" At The Border
Letter to Congress on Federal Funding Allocations: Prioritize Human Needs, Not Immigration Enforcement that Harms Workers, Families
A Faithful Response to the Caravan: Five Things to Know
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Joins Statement on Family Separation at our Borders 6/7/2018
Statement from Rebecca Blachly, Director, Office of Government Relations
Episcopal News Service Coverage
READ: "Asylum and the Caravan" from May 2, 2018
Interfaith Toolkit to End Family Separation
UNHCR Urges Family Unity at Southern US Border
Actions from the Women's Refugee Commission
Background Information from Kids In Need of Defense (KIND)
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
TPS offers protection for hundreds of thousands of individuals who had to flee or were unable to return to their home countries due to natural disasters or armed conflict. TPS folders are authorized to work in the U.S. and protected from deportation. Learn how to advocate for a solution for TPS holders.
Support the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019!
Take action to support TPS, DED recipients, and Dreamers!
Making Sense of TPS Decisions
TPS Terminations - What You Should Know
Dreamers and Advancing Immigration Reform
The Episcopal Church supports Dreamers, immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, and recognizes them as part of our churches, communities, and part of our nation. Learn how to advocate for a legislative solution that would allow Dreamers and their families to obtain permanent status in the U.S. to continue contributing to our society, culture and economy.
Statement on Reports of Upcoming Raids (11 July, 2019)
Episcopal Church Statement to the House Judiciary Committee, pertaining to its hearing Protecting Dreamers and TPS Recipients
Protecting Dreamers: The Fight Continues -- Statement on Senate Immigration Votes 2/15/2018
Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies statement on the September 5th DACA decision (2017)
Episcopal Church statement on the 2017 Dream Act
Letter to members of Congress in support of Dream Act: by Director of Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations
Anti-immigrant sentiment a test of our faith by Bishop Sutton and Bishop Knudsen of Diocese of Maryland
Support for U.S. Dreamers, for them and nation by Bishop Fisher of Diocese of Western Mass
ECCT Bishops Letter on DACA by Bishop Douglas and Bishop Ahrens, Diocese of Connecticut
Interfaith Letter to Support Dreamers, Keep DACA in Place by Bishop Budde and interfaith leaders, Diocese of Washington
National Immigration Law Center: DACA
Refugee Resettlement and Protection
We have long supported a robust refugee resettlement program for those who have fled their native countries to escape persecution, oppression, and war. Through The Episcopal Church's resettlement agency Episcopal Migration Ministries, refugees are resettled to the U.S. and make a new life here with the support of the communities that welcome them. Learn how you can help continue this tradition of welcoming refugees to new homes in the U.S. and to advancing peacemaking and protection for refugees around the world.
"Support Refugees" from Episcopal Migration Ministries
Restore the U.S. refugee resettlement program!
Urge Congress to Cosponsor the GRACE Act!
Statement on Refugee Resettlement and Religious Freedom June 2019
ENS: On World Refugee Day, World Relief, The Episcopal Church and leading faith groups urge secretary of state to protect persecuted refugees
Refugee Resettlement One-pager from the Office of Government Relations
Summary of Episcopal Church engagement on the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees
Watch: "Our 1939 Moment: Continuing the Legacy of Welcome"
A Guide to the 14-Step Vetting Process
Get the facts about the secure security screening process for refugees admitted to the U.S.
Ten Facts About the Refugee Resettlement Process
LEARN: Lesson Plan on How the Syrian Crisis Has Shaped the Lives of Young Refugees (NYT)
Top 3 Myths About the U.S. Refugee Resettlement System Dispelled
Know Your Rights as a Refugee in the USA
Practices to Strengthen Relations with Refugees and Muslims
Episcopal Migration Ministries
The refugee resettlement agency operated by The Episcopal Church works in partnership with the U.S. government to support refugees, immigrants, and the communities that embrace them by offering a wide variety of programs and services as part of its ministry.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's World Refugee Day message 2019
Hometown podcast: Check it out in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or SoundCloud, and on their website.
Host a "Refugee Sunday" in your parish
Make a donatation to Episcopal Migration Ministries
Get to Know a Refugee: Sowdos' Story
Sign up for Partners in Welcome
A network of individuals, groups, and organizations coming together to build a community of support and solidarity for welcoming newcomers to our country. Submit your membership application today!
Immigration is a complex and multifaceted issue with far-reaching impacts for our families, communities, local economies, national security, and the role of the U.S. in the world.. Due to the array of policies and laws that make up the U.S. immigration system, as well as the unexpected and new root causes of migration like natural disasters and conflict, we will highlight other immigration issues that require our attention as they come up, which are distinct from the other areas of advocacy listed above.
Learn how you and your congregation can be a part of the Sanctuary Movement
Public Charge
While the period for public comment on the proposed changes to public charge has ended, here are the statements and resources we shared on the issue.
Backgrounder on Public Charge Rule Changes
Join the Protecting Immigrant Families campaign
Episcopal Church's Submitted Comment Opposing Public Charge Rule
The Episcopal Church Responds to Harmful Changes on Public Charge Determination
The Episcopal Church is deeply concerned by this proposed rule significantly altering the public charge determination, which will have lasting negative impacts on the health and dignity of large numbers of immigrants providing for themselves and their families. The rule would essentially force immigrants to do the impossible: to choose between utilizing public benefits they and their children may need, such as food assistance and health care, and obtaining permanent legal status in the United States in order to keep their family together long-term.
As a Church, we must support parents who want to provide for their children and keep families together. Our faith calls us to help the strangers in our midst by ensuring that we provide basic assistance to our neighbors irrespective of their immigration status. This extreme and unprecedented measure is not aligned with our Church's commitment to supporting compassionate and reasonable immigration policies, nor our commitment to help the most vulnerable among us.
Human Rights & Peacebuilding
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