Episcopal Church refuses to resettle White South African refugees in clash with Trump administration

The Episcopal Church’s migration work said it volition garbage the Trump administration's petition to assistance resettle dozens of White South Africans granted exile presumption by the national government. 

In a statement, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said the Episcopal Migration Ministries volition alternatively terminate its concern with the government. The announcement came soon earlier 59 South Africans arrived successful the United States. 

"In airy of our church’s steadfast committedness to radical justness and reconciliation and our historical ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we are not capable to instrumentality this step," Rowe said of the government's petition that the religion assistance resettle the South African citizens. "Accordingly, we person determined that, by the extremity of the national fiscal year, we volition reason our exile resettlement assistance agreements with the U.S. national government."

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Afrikaner refugees from South Africa get connected Monday astatine Dulles International Airport successful Dulles, Virginia. On Monday, the Episcopal Church said its Migration Ministries volition garbage to assistance resettle White South Africans who person been granted exile presumption successful the United States. (AP )

He cited their "preferential treatment" implicit others much deserving by jumping up of the line. 

"It has been achy to ticker 1 radical of refugees, selected successful a highly antithetic manner, person preferential attraction implicit galore others who person been waiting successful exile camps oregon unsafe conditions for years," said Rowe. "I americium saddened and ashamed that galore of the refugees who are being denied entranceway to the United States are brave radical who worked alongside our subject successful Iraq and Afghanistan and present look information astatine location due to the fact that of their work to our country."

Demonstrators clasp placards successful enactment of President Donald Trump's stance against what helium calls racist laws, onshore expropriation and workplace attacks, successful Pretoria, South Africa, Feb. 15, 2025. (Reuters//Siphiwe Sibeko)

"I besides grieve that victims of spiritual persecution, including Christians, person not been granted refuge successful caller months," helium added. 

The determination came aft President Donald Trump fast-tracked exile presumption for the White South Africans, citing favoritism by their government, portion besides shutting down most exile resettlement programs. 

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South Africans protestation successful favour of Trump and against their government. (Getty Images)

The Trump medication has harshly criticized the authorities of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa implicit a onshore expropriation bill, which, nether immoderate circumstances, allows for expropriation of onshore without compensation.

Trump has said the measure discriminates against White South Africans. The White House told Fox News Digital that the church's stance raises questions astir its "supposed" committedness to humanitarian aid. 

"Any spiritual radical should enactment the plight of Afrikaners, who person been terrorized, brutalized and persecuted by the South African government," a spokesperson said. "The Afrikaners person faced unspeakable horrors and are nary little deserving of exile resettlement than the hundreds of thousands of others who were allowed into the United States during the past administration. President Trump has made it clear: exile resettlement should beryllium astir need, not politics." 

Episcopal Migration Ministries has helped resettled refugees nether national grants for astir 4 decades. However, conscionable implicit 2 weeks ago, the authorities told the EMM that nether the presumption of its national grant, it was expected to resettle White South Africans whom the U.S. authorities has classified arsenic refugees, Rowe said.

This divided shows President Donald Trump and pro-refugee protesters successful Seattle. (Associated Press)

He said the religion volition enactment to find different ways to work refugees. 

Meanwhile, Church World Service, different faith-based bureau that assists refugees, said it remains committed to serving eligible refugees.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address successful Cape Town, South Africa. (AP)

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"We are acrophobic that the U.S. Government has chosen to fast-track the admittance of Afrikaners, portion actively warring tribunal orders to supply life-saving resettlement to different exile populations who are successful hopeless request of resettlement," Rick Santos, CWS president and CEO, said successful a statement.

Santos urged Congress and the Trump administration to "restore a robust exile resettlement programme that prioritizes exile families who stay successful sedate danger."