The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on World Mission presented its Report #5 on Resolution D026 (Enable Episcopal Migration Ministries to More Fully Live Out its Mission) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D026)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention reaffirm the following mission statement of Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) as adopted by General Convention in 2000: “The Episcopal Church in Service to Refugees and Immigrants”; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention affirm that The Episcopal Church seeks to serve immigrants regardless of their immigration status or geographical location, within the limits of its ability; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention acknowledge that due to restrictions attached to U.S. federal government funding, the vast majority of EMM’s current annual budget must be dedicated to people in the U.S. who have “refugee” and certain other narrowly defined immigration statuses, thereby excluding services for the vast majority of immigrants including but not limited to asylum seekers, undocumented immigrants, and immigrants who are located outside of the United States; and be it further

Resolved, That this General convention affirm that Episcopal Migration Ministries must continue to pursue its mission regardless of the availability of funding from the U.S. federal government; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention assert that Episcopal Migration Ministries should be empowered to take additional steps (for example hiring additional staff, providing training to partners and volunteers, providing resources to people in need, building the capacity of congregations, etc.) in order to aid categories of immigrants other than those who may be served with funding from the U.S. federal government; and be it further

Resolved, That General Convention request a budget allocation of $200,000.00 for the implementation of this resolution.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

Resolved, That this 81st General Convention affirm that The Episcopal Church with and through Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) seeks to serve forced migrants regardless of their status; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention acknowledge that the vast majority of EMM’s work is through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which focuses primarily on refugees, as well as supporting those eligible for humanitarian parole, as it has been since the program’s founding in 1980; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention commend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and pledge our ongoing support to this lifeline for vulnerable refugees, and that the United States continue to lead in global refugee resettlement efforts; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention recognize the vast needs of migrants including asylum seekers, undocumented populations, DACA recipients and other Dreamers, TPS holders, and others with no status or pathway to citizenship and urge the Church to also serve these populations; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention affirm that Episcopal Migration Ministries is a vital ministry of welcome for the Episcopal Church; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Executive Council to allocate $200,000.00 for Episcopal Migration Ministries to develop additional resources for the mission of supporting forced migrants.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #53)