by Sharelle B. McNair
Could 13, 2025
The Episcopal Church has an extended historical past of advocacy towards South Africa
The Episcopal Church has ended an almost 40-year relationship with the federal authorities, citing ethical opposition in refusing to resettle white Africans from South Africa categorized as refugees by the Trump administration, NPR studies.
Presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, revealed the church obtained a letter in early Could 2025 that below the phrases of a federal grant, Episcopal Migration Ministries was “anticipated to resettle white Afrikaners from South Africa whom the U.S. authorities has categorized as refugees.”
Rowe mentioned that crossed a line, highlighting its leaders, just like the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as vocal opponents of apartheid in South Africa.
“In mild of our church’s steadfast dedication to racial justice and reconciliation and our historic ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we’re not in a position to take this step,” Rowe wrote. “Accordingly, we now have decided that, by the tip of the federal fiscal 12 months, we’ll conclude our refugee resettlement grant agreements with the U.S. federal authorities.”
The church has an extended historical past of advocacy towards South Africa, altering its monetary holdings there in 1966 and within the Nineteen Eighties. The group even voted to cease corporations from doing enterprise in South Africa.
Whereas it’s going to help immigrants and refugees in different methods, together with providing help to those that have already been resettled, Rowe mentioned Episcopal Migration Ministries will “wind down all federally funded companies by the tip of the federal fiscal 12 months in September.”
The announcement got here after the primary group of white South Africans landed within the U.S. on Could 12, based on The Hill.
State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce claimed in a press release that the refugee group confronted grave racial discrimination in South Africa, projecting that the transfer was wanted to safeguard victims of racial discrimination.
“Nobody ought to need to concern having their property seized with out compensation or changing into the sufferer of violent assaults due to their ethnicity,” Bruce mentioned. “Within the coming months, we’ll proceed to welcome extra Afrikaner refugees and assist them rebuild their lives in our nice nation.”
Nevertheless, the South African authorities—and white spiritual leaders—mentioned in any other case and condemned the Trump administration’s discrimination claims.
“The said causes for [Trump’s actions] are claims of victimization, violence, and hateful rhetoric towards white folks in South Africa together with laws offering for the expropriation of land with out compensation,” a letter from spiritual leaders, together with an Anglican priest. “As white South Africans in energetic management throughout the Christian group, representing various political and theological views, we unanimously reject these claims.”
Rowe identified considerations about how briskly President Donald Trump switched gears for a sure group of refugees.
In January 2025, he signed an govt order that paused the refugee program and stopped funds to organizations that assisted with resettlement processes.
“I wish to be very clear about why we made this choice—and what we imagine lies forward for Episcopal Migration Ministries’ very important work,” Rowe mentioned. “It has been painful to observe one group of refugees, chosen in a extremely uncommon method, obtain preferential therapy over many others who’ve been ready in refugee camps or harmful situations for years.
“I’m saddened and ashamed that lots of the refugees who’re being denied entrance to the USA are courageous individuals who labored alongside our navy in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face hazard at dwelling due to their service to our nation.”
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