This is meant to be basic guidance for churches and clergy related to changes in enforcement policy and action steps you can take now to prepare for any encounters your church may have with immigration enforcement.

• This is a fluid situation, changing daily, as federal agencies change the way immigration laws are enforced. It will continue to change as will the guidance materials.
• This guidance does not cover ICE conducting an I-9 audit or arrests or searches outside the confines of a church/private school setting (ex. raid at a large community employer or private residence.)
• This guidance is not legal advice. This is simply information provided to you so your church can make educated decisions and plan accordingly based on the particular needs and situation of your church.

Contact your district superintendent for any questions.

Below you will find a document crafted by the Western North Carolina Conference (WNC) of The United Methodist Church. The Virginia Annual Conference (VAUMC) of The United Methodist Church shares our deepest gratitude to our colleagues in Western North Carolina for their diligent efforts to create this interim guidance on immigration enforcement issues. A few minor edits have been made to the original WNC document to reflect contextual realities in Virginia. Find the document here.

What is the United Methodist Response to Immigration?

From the Council of Bishops:

Pastoral Letter Addressing Plight of Migrants, Immigrants and Refugees

Embrace Center for Community in Waynesboro has continued providing medical care for the migrant community while also providing security for them. Embrace's director, the Rev. Jenelle Watson, distributed 750 Red Cards in neighborhoods and businesses frequented by our Hispanic/Latino communities.

How to Order Red Cards/Tarjetas Rojas for Assertion of Constitutional Rights

United Methodist Church has joined with Georgetown Law School in order to take legal action against the immigration policies of the Trump administration:
https://www.umnews.org/en/news/united-methodists-join-suit-against-trump-policy

The Church Advocating for Immigrants:

https://www.umnews.org/en/news/church-advocates-for-at-risk-immigrants

Our Book of Discipline states "Our struggles for human dignity and social reform have been a response to God's demand for love, mercy, and justice in the light of the Kingdom. We proclaim no personal gospel that fails to express itself in relevant social concerns; we proclaim no social gospel that does not include the personal transformation of sinners. It is our conviction that the good news of the Kingdom must judge, redeem, and reform the sinful social structures of our time." (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2020/2024, p. 108)