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Yehiel Curry, presiding bishop of the ELCA, has issued a statement about recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court on immigration policies.
“Recently, the Supreme Court issued a decision that will allow this administration to proceed with terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 330,000 people from Haiti and 3,800 from Syria, many of whom have lived in this country for decades,” the statement read, in part. “They are not strangers. They are part of the fabric of our whole society. The termination of TPS threatens to separate families, destabilize local economies and force people to return to countries where they may face severe humanitarian crises, violence and threats to their very lives.”
Curry continued: “This ruling comes amid a series of changes in U.S. policy that have increasingly restricted legal pathways for immigrants and those seeking protection. Last week the Supreme Court upheld a policy allowing individuals to be blocked from applying for asylum at the U.S. border. At the same time, we are witnessing the deportation of people with pending asylum claims after perfunctory mass hearings—often without access to legal representation. The refugee resettlement program, once a sign of this nation’s commitment to welcome, remains largely closed to most nationalities and races, with a narrow exception for white South Africans.
“We are a people shaped by the Word of God, called by the apostle Paul to “welcome one another … just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). As Lutherans, we confess a faith that compels us to welcome and protect the vulnerable, to honor the dignity God gives every human being, and to uphold laws and policies that provide refuge to those fleeing violence, persecution and profound hardship.
“In this moment, I invite this church to prayer, lament and action.
“In this moment, I invite this church to prayer, lament and action.”
“As a church, we pray for protection and justice for all TPS holders—from Haiti and Syria, and for the more than 1.3 million people who may be affected by this decision, including those from Venezuela, El Salvador, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and many other nations. May God’s mercy surround them and sustain them in the days ahead.
“As a church, we pray for the churches, ministries and leaders of the ELCA who walk alongside immigrant communities through accompaniment, advocacy and immigration services. May they be granted wisdom, strength and courage for the work to which God has called them.
“As a church, we lament the dehumanization of immigrants through rhetoric rooted in racism, white supremacy, xenophobia and fear—particularly against Black and Brown immigrants. We reject the spread of lies and conspiracy theories that falsely accuse these communities of harm. And we recommit ourselves to speaking truth, honoring dignity and recognizing every person as made in the image of God.
“As a church, we call on the administration to do what is just — to extend TPS protections where conditions remain dangerous and unstable, and to support comprehensive immigration reform that reflects both justice and mercy, offering welcome to those who seek safety within our borders.”
Curry invited readers to connect with AMMPARO, the ELCA’s strategy for accompanying migrants with protection, advocacy, representation and opportunities, to support accompaniment with immigrants and those forcibly displaced. He also encouraged engagement through an Action Alert on TPS through ELCA Witness in Society.
