In a stand that will enrage conservatives, the Episcopal Church has announced its refusal to aid in the resettlement of white South Africans under President Trump’s refugee program.
See the tweet below!
This decision is based on an alleged commitment to racial justice that some might argue comes at the cost of supporting a community facing alleged persecution.
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe announced that the Episcopal Church will no longer engage in the Trump administration’s plan to resettle white South African Afrikaners in the United States.
Rowe explained the church’s decision as being rooted in its dedication to racial justice and historical ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
This decision signals a parting from a decades-long partnership with the U.S. government.
The church’s migration agency, Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), will cease all federal resettlement operations when its contract expires on September 30.
Instead, it plans to focus on assisting refugees and migrants already within the United States.
Rowe emphasized the church’s struggle with the administration’s selective resettlement, adding that it “has been painful to watch one group of refugees [the Afrikaners], selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others.”
President Trump has defended the program, citing alleged discrimination and violence against white farmers by South Africa’s black-led government.
However, as the church exits this partnership, other refugee resettlement agencies, including Church World Service, remain involved.
They echo similar concerns, urging the administration to honor its commitments to broader refugee populations like those from Congo, Afghanistan, and Syria.
“Rowe indicated that this request crossed a moral line for the church, which is part of the global Anglican Communion, known for its commitment to racial justice and reconciliation,” NPR reports.
While the Episcopal Church distances itself, criticism mounts over the executive order that brought 49 South Africans to the U.S. under this fast-tracked process.
A South African court ruled claims of a white genocide as “imagined,” challenging the administration’s rationale.
Nonetheless, Trump remains steadfast, arguing that safety concerns for these farmers should be addressed.
The Episcopal Church’s historic role in opposing apartheid and its ongoing advocacy for vulnerable groups acts as a backdrop to this recent move.
The challenge now lies in balancing a commitment to inclusiveness while addressing potential humanitarian concerns that arise from such selective policies.
“In light of our church’s steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation and our historic ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we are not able to take this step,” declared Bishop Sean Rowe.
The Episcopal Church has decided to terminate its long-standing collaboration with the government on refugee resettlement, due to ethical objections to the Trump administration’s classification of white Afrikaners from South Africa as refugees.
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— 🌸 DigiGal (@DigitalGal_) May 12, 2025
