Key Takeaways
• Episcopal Church ended its 40-year U.S. government refugee resettlement partnership over prioritizing white South African refugees.
• Bishop Sean Rowe cited racial justice, fairness, and opposition to preferential treatment for specific refugee groups as core reasons.
• Catholic Church ended its refugee partnership one month earlier, challenging the federal system and leaving fewer religious resettlement partners.
The Episcopal Church recently announced an end to its partnership with the U.S. government on refugee resettlement. The main reason behind this decision centers on the church’s refusal to help resettle white South Africans who were granted refugee status during President Trump’s administration. This decision, shared by Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe on May 12, 2025, brings to a close a working relationship that lasted nearly forty years. The separation is making headlines not only for what it means for the church, but also for the broader refugee system in the United States.
The Background: Why the Episcopal Church Made This Choice
For decades, the Episcopal Church has played a powerful role in helping immigrants find new homes in the United States. Through its organization, Episcopal Migration Ministries, it has resettled nearly 110,000 refugees. These efforts received about $50 million every year from the U.S. government.
The recent controversy began when the government notified Episcopal Migration Ministries that, as part of their grant agreement, they would be expected to take in white Afrikaners from South Africa—individuals labelled as refugees by the federal government. The church refused. According to Bishop Sean Rowe, this was due to the church’s deep commitment to racial justice and its long-standing relationship with the Anglican Church in Southern Africa.
This announcement came soon after the first group of 59 South Africans landed at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. They arrived on a private charter flight and were welcomed by U.S. officials. Their arrival followed an executive order signed by President Trump that put special focus on refugees from South Africa, specifically white Afrikaners.
The Church’s Stance: A Question of Fairness and Justice
Bishop Sean Rowe’s letter to church members makes the church’s feelings clear. He describes how hard it was to witness one group—white South Africans—receiving obvious advantages over many others who have waited in danger or difficult situations for years.
He points out three main problems:
– Many people who helped U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan are stuck in harmful environments and still waiting for help.
– Christians experiencing serious religious mistreatment are blocked from entering the United States.
– The white South Africans were brought in ahead of thousands of others who have spent years going through background checks and vetting.
The church made it clear: it could not be a part of a system that showed special preference to one group while leaving others in dangerous places. The Episcopal Church also ties its decision to its famous past stance against apartheid—a system of racial separation and discrimination that was enforced by law in South Africa for many decades. The church was part of actions to protest apartheid, including changing its investments in the 1960s and moving to stop supporting companies linked to the regime by the 1980s.
The Broader Impact of the Church’s Decision
After Bishop Rowe’s announcement, it became clear that this was more than a one-time disagreement. It put the future of the church’s entire refugee work in question. By the end of September 2025, the Episcopal Church will end its grant agreements with the government, meaning it will no longer act as a resettlement agency using federal funds.
But this does not mean the Episcopal Church is stepping away from helping immigrants altogether. Instead, it plans to seek new ways to support both immigrants and refugees already in the United States, as well as those trapped abroad who are unable to migrate safely. According to Bishop Rowe, the church is already working on a fresh, “comprehensive” plan to assist these people and keep helping, even if it means acting without federal money.
This move follows a similar step by the Catholic Church, which ended its own federal refugee partnership just over a month ago, on April 7, 2025. This has left the government with fewer church-based organizations to turn to for refugee resettlement.
The Story of the White South African Refugees
To better understand why this moment is important, it helps to look at who the white South Africans involved are, and how immigration policy has played a key role. White Afrikaners are a minority group in South Africa who mainly speak Afrikaans. In the years since apartheid ended, some in this group have reported facing threats, violence, and job loss due to the ongoing changes in South African society. President Trump’s executive order brought them to the front of the U.S. refugee line, causing strong reactions both inside and outside the United States.
Some policymakers and church leaders argue that helping white South Africans should not come at the expense of other groups. For example, there are many thousands of refugees worldwide who have lived for years in dangerous camps, waiting for their chance to find safety. In his letter, Bishop Rowe said the decision to fast-track white Afrikaners was “highly unusual” and different from the system used to select other refugees.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, this move raised wider questions about fairness and the long-term direction of immigration policy. It also placed a spotlight on the deep connections between refugee resettlement, racial justice, and the role of faith groups in the United States.
The Episcopal Church’s Deep Roots in Racial Justice
The Episcopal Church’s actions are shaped by its unique history. It belongs to the global Anglican Communion, which includes churches all around the world. A famous figure from this tradition is the late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who spent his life fighting against apartheid. The Episcopal Church stood with him and the cause of ending racial separation by making bold choices about where to invest its funds and how to speak up for fairness.
This link with the South African church is not just a symbol. Over many decades, the Episcopal Church changed its policies to protest apartheid, such as deciding in 1966 to shift financial holdings out of South Africa-linked companies and, by the mid-1980s, formally divesting from businesses connected to the apartheid regime.
By refusing to help resettle white South Africans now, the church says it is staying true to the same principles. Bishop Rowe points to its “steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation” as a key reason for the decision. For many in the church, this is about more than just one group of refugees—it’s about being fair to everyone in need.
Government and Policy: What Comes Next
The end of the Episcopal Church’s resettlement program means a major change for both the church and the government. Episcopal Migration Ministries had been a cornerstone in the refugee network for decades. Without such a trusted partner, the government will need to find new organizations willing to fill this gap.
It may also change life for the refugees themselves. For years, many local churches, volunteers, and community groups have worked alongside Episcopal Migration Ministries to help new arrivals adjust. With this relationship gone, it is uncertain which groups will step up, and how support will be organized.
For policymakers, the debate about which refugees get priority is not new, but this case has reignited the conversation. Some believe it is right to focus on people—like white South Africans—who claim danger in their home countries. Others argue that the United States should uphold the same rules for everyone, based on need alone, not on background or nationality.
The Role of Sean Rowe and Episcopal Leadership
Bishop Sean Rowe’s role in this episode is central. As Presiding Bishop, he is responsible for setting both the tone and the direction for the Episcopal Church. By making this letter public, he did not just announce a policy change—he explained the reasons in detail and called attention to the tension between government choices and the church’s values.
He addresses how “painful” it is to see a group benefit from special treatment while others wait under threat. He also brings up those left behind, such as Afghans and Iraqis who worked with the U.S. military, and Christians blocked from coming for reasons related to their religion. In every part of his statement, Sean Rowe ties back to the church’s message: all people should be treated fairly, and justice must remain the goal.
Comparing with Other Churches and Similar Decisions
The Episcopal Church is not the only religious group making tough calls about refugee work. The Catholic Church, among the largest Christian communities in the United States, also cut ties with the federal program in early April 2025. Their choice was guided by related concerns about the fairness, shifting priorities, and independence in helping migrants.
With both churches stepping back, the government is now more dependent on a handful of smaller groups. It remains to be seen if these groups can take on more responsibility, or if new government partnerships will be needed to keep the refugee system effective.
The Larger Picture: Church, State, and Immigration Today
Immigration has always been about more than paperwork and flights—it is tied to questions of fair treatment and what kind of society people want to build. This episode with the Episcopal Church, white South Africans, and Sean Rowe at the center, has brought those questions back into focus.
People on all sides are debating the purpose of immigration: Should policies give preference to certain nationalities or backgrounds? How do past injustices and the history of a country impact decisions today? And what responsibilities do churches or other religious groups have when working with the government?
For the Episcopal Church, the answer is now clearer: the church will not take part in a system it sees as unfair. It will look for other paths to aid those in need—refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants—by drawing on its own history and network of supporters across the United States and beyond.
How Refugee Programs Work in the U.S.
To better understand the changes, it helps to know how refugee programs work in the United States. Usually, the federal government works with large agencies to identify, transport, and help settle refugees. These agencies, like the Episcopal Church, have long experience with everything from legal paperwork to helping new arrivals find schools and doctors.
To manage refugee admissions, the U.S. uses a detailed process with thorough background checks, known as vetting. Once refugees arrive, agencies get government grants to provide housing, job help, English lessons, and more. You can learn more about this process on the official U.S. refugee admissions website.
The decision to make white South Africans a special focus disrupted the usual process. Instead of waiting in line, this group got to come ahead of others who had been waiting for years. This is the heart of what upset Bishop Rowe and the Episcopal Church—the sense that the system was no longer fair to all.
Looking Ahead: New Ways to Help
As the church creates its new plan for helping immigrants and refugees, much is still unknown. Leaders say they will focus on both Direct Aid—helping people already in the United States—and cross-border efforts for those stuck abroad. Even without government funding, the church has promised to use its network, volunteers, and history to keep making a difference.
For white South Africans who have already arrived, the government will now take the lead on integration. For other refugees, especially those from places like Afghanistan or Iraq, the church’s changed role might make it harder to get timely help.
Final Thoughts
The end of the Episcopal Migration Ministries’ partnership with the U.S. government is a major turning point. It raises questions about fairness in immigration, the mixing of religion and public policy, and what values should guide decisions about who gets to start a new life in the United States.
With Sean Rowe and the Episcopal Church choosing principle over partnership, the path for both the church and migrants may become more challenging but is guided by a clear sense of justice and equality. For anyone interested in immigration, this story highlights the hard choices involved—and the deep value of having honest conversations about how and whom to help.
For those wanting further information about U.S. refugee policy and how agencies work in resettlement, you can visit the U.S. Department of State’s refugee admissions page. Additional reporting and perspective can be found at VisaVerge.com, which continues to follow how these changes affect both the Episcopal Church and the broader immigrant community.
Learn Today
Refugee Resettlement → The organized process of relocating refugees from dangerous regions to safer countries, offering support and integration services.
Episcopal Church → A Christian denomination in the United States, part of the global Anglican Communion, known for involvement in social justice.
Vetting → A thorough background check process used by governments to assess security risks before allowing refugee entry.
Executive Order → A directive issued by the President having the force of law without Congress’s direct approval, often shaping immigration policy.
Apartheid → A former system of legalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa, opposed by global and religious leaders.
This Article in a Nutshell
The Episcopal Church’s decision to end its decades-long refugee partnership with the U.S. government marks a stand for racial justice. By opposing preferential treatment for white South Africans, the church highlights ongoing tensions in U.S. immigration policy, faith-based advocacy, and the ethics of refugee resettlement today.
— By VisaVerge.com
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