The Episcopal Church’s migration service has chosen not to follow a federal directive to help resettle white South Africans with refugee status. This decision comes as the church emphasizes its long-held commitment to issues of race justice and reconciliation.
On Monday, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe announced this decision, just before 59 South Africans landed at Dulles international airport near Washington D.C. on a private plane. They were welcomed by a government delegation.
Episcopal Migration Ministries will end its partnership with the government, which has lasted decades. This move is in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to fast-track refugee status for white South Africans, on the grounds of alleged government discrimination against them. This action permits South Africans to bypass the lengthy vetting and processing that other refugees face.
While the Episcopal Church’s migration service will not assist in this specific instance, other organizations, such as Church World Service, have expressed willingness to help the South African arrivals. However, the Church World Service has concerns that the U.S. government is giving preferential treatment to these individuals while denying entry to other refugees in urgent need, including those who have served alongside U.S. military forces in different conflicts.
Bishop Rowe expressed that his decision was based on the church’s commitment to social justice and reconciliation, and that this policy shift was painful and regrettable, especially in light of the long history of the church and its role in supporting refugees. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, closely tied to the Episcopal Church, played a significant role in opposing apartheid in South Africa during the 1980s and ’90s.
The ending of the partnership marks a significant shift in the relationship between the church and the government after almost forty years of cooperation in resettling refugees from various countries such as Ukraine, Myanmar, and Congo.
This move reflects a growing tension between the Episcopal Church and the Trump administration, a rift that had previously been highlighted during an inaugural prayer service in January. At that time, Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington D.C. had called for mercy for those fearful of the new government’s policies, angering Trump.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/12/episcopal-church-white-south-africans-trump
