Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today, alongside its fellow Covenant Members—with the full-fledged support of people of faith, refugee voices, and community leaders across the United States—condemned White House efforts to abandon the U.S. Refugee program. Amid escalating efforts from the Trump administration to undermine and close legal pathways offering protections to refugees and asylum seekers, today’s statement serves as a rallying cry among the nation’s faith communities to unify in the name of the stranger.
Today’s release comes as the Trump administration continues to make clear that destroying the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is a priority moving forward; planning to drastically reduce the Fiscal Year 2026 refugee admissions goal to the lowest level in history and exclude vulnerable, at-risk populations from the life-saving program. The White House’s actions would transform this vital, life-saving program into something unrecognizable and unworthy of its proud history.
The eleven Covenant leaders stressed that today’s statement is not just a civic calling, but one demanded by faith:
As people of faith, we have watched with growing alarm the White House’s ongoing efforts to undermine this country’s proud tradition of welcoming the stranger. In our congregations, our communities, and our pews, we have long worked, advocated, and prayed in support of refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable people fleeing persecution around the globe. Today, as barrier after barrier is erected to deny those seeking refuge, safety and compassion, we are compelled to speak out – and make good on the spiritual call to love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. (1 John 3:18)
Signatories closed the statement by asking American Churches and communities to call on the White House and Congressional leaders to “make good on this country’s promise to the thousands of refugees it has already approved for resettlement.”
Today’s statement was signed by the leaders of the ENC Episcopal District, The AME Zion Church; The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada; Church of the Brethren; The Episcopal Church; The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA); The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); Global Ministries, GBHEM and UMCOR, The United Methodist Church; The International Council of Churches; The Reformed Church in America; The United Church of Christ; and Church World Service.
For more information on the ecumenical statement, contact media@cwsglobal.org.
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