Office of Immigration Issues Sends Guidance on Caring for Vulnerable Communities
by Amanda Craft, Manager, Immigration Advocacy, Interim Unified Agency, PC(USA)
It is an important time for churches to think about their ministries, and how they will do those ministries, with great care and intention.
1. As for the PCUSA’s stance on sanctuary, General Assembly policy remains the same. The most recent statement made was in the 2022 General Assembly, “On Declaring the Presbyterian Church (USA) to be a Sanctuary and Accompaniment Church” – https://www.pc-biz.org/search/3000862. Sanctuary continues to be an important ministry, but we know that different questions and considerations must be addressed. Is this the right time to offer sanctuary given the changing landscape?
2. One important change is the rescinding of the sensitive or protected locations memos. As you consider sanctuary or other ministries with vulnerable groups, you will want to be in contact with local immigration deportation defense attorneys, civil rights attorneys, and criminal defense attorneys. We do bring those specialties, but we are actively working with legal professionals to create resources for congregations. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action is contextual. Each state, each city, each county will experience enforcement in different ways and the responses of the surrounding community will also differ. Religious institutions are also unique. We are trying to work across the country but also include information pertinent to religious communities.
We encourage you to look over resources provided on the Office of Immigration Issues website on PCUSA.org
- Family Care Plan (https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/agencies-entities/interim-unified-agency/ministry-areas/immigration-issues/family-care-plan) – to map out how to keep individuals safe. Many of those links will connect you with organizations that can offer more information about Know Your Rights.
- The Office of Immigration Issues is available for consultations to help guide churches with important questions to consider as you plan.A. Two resources that might be helpful are provided by the National Immigration Law Center
- This factsheet, https://www.nilc.org/resources/factsheet-trumps-rescission-of-protected-areas-policies-undermines-safety-for-all/
- Guidance to Nonprofits Regarding Immigration Enforcement, which comes from coalitions of legal professionals and nonprofits in NY. It is important to remember that the information will be contextual to the location, but at least it can offer an example and which questions to ask https://www.nylpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Guidance-to-Nonprofits-Regarding-Immigration-Enforcement-1.pdf.
B. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center has created a Know Your Rights training toolkit for California. https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/kyr_cal_train_trainer_tool-20180626.pdf. Throughout the resource they suggest working with local partners and the legal professionals (those with expertise in civil rights and criminal law). I would suggest reaching out to ILRC to possibly connect you with those individuals. This is a training recording from ILRC from last week Immigration Know Your Rights and Advocate Training – https://store.ilrc.org/immigration-know-your-rights-and-advocate-training.
We understand communities are afraid and under immense pressure. Our hope is that as a faith body we can be present in the best way possible. As we figure out appropriate guidance, we will share that out. Please be in touch as questions arise about declaring sanctuary. There may be other options right now that also make sense for you to ponder.