Key points:
- After a hiatus, the United Methodist Immigration Task Force has reorganized and renewed ties across church ministries in support of immigrants.
- At its recent gathering, the group heard accounts of racial profiling, violent detentions, family separations and children appearing alone in immigration court.
- The task force has issued an Advent call urging the church to welcome, accompany and advocate for migrants.
Immigration raids and federal policies that have left tens of thousands of people without legal status continue to affect communities nationwide, including United Methodist congregations.
Responding to the growing need, the United Methodist Immigration Task Force met Nov. 18-20 in Los Angeles, with support from the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race and the Board of Church and Society, bringing together church agencies, migrant ministries, bishops and ecumenical partners to strengthen coordinated advocacy.
The meeting was a historic opportunity to reorganize the task force after a period of interruption, said Bishop Minerva Carcaño, who chairs the group. She emphasized that a mandate from The United Methodist Church’s top lawmaking assembly, General Conference, affirms the group’s work and grants authority to advance migrant-focused initiatives.
“The expectation for this meeting, after a period of interruption, was to reform the task force in every sense: to rebuild it, rethink how we work and ensure we respond effectively to this unprecedented crisis,” Carcaño said. “We now have a stronger, more diverse team with renewed commitment to serve our communities.
“Having experts with direct experience in migration issues allows us to better understand the challenges migrants face and craft meaningful strategies,” she said. “At the same time, we are working to clarify the roles of each entity to avoid duplicated efforts and strengthen collaboration.”
The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, top staff executive of the Commission on Religion and Race, highlighted the value of shared commitment and coordination.
“This meeting reaffirmed our unity across agencies and helped us discern how, together, we can support communities impacted by immigration enforcement,” he said. “It was an opportunity to build networks of collaboration and explore ways to expand our joint efforts for justice.
“The work of the church is both external and internal: While we challenge inequitable systems, we also teach, preach and develop a theology that emphasizes God’s preferential care for marginalized communities. Our goal is a faith-based response that is prophetic, informed and effective,” he said.
Migration ministry leaders shared accounts of racial profiling, violent detentions, inhumane conditions in detention centers (including more than 20 reported deaths), family separations, coerced self-deportation and children appearing alone in immigration court.
“Hearing these stories is essential,” said the Rev. Camille Henderson-Edwards, executive director for advocacy at the Board of Church and Society. “It connects us with the lived realities of migrants and informs the legislative and advocacy work we do.
“Our role is to ensure that church leaders are equipped to advocate with both knowledge and empathy,” she said. “We also learned how vital collaboration with other agencies, caucuses and plans is, so we can respond collectively and strategically. We left this meeting with a renewed understanding of our responsibilities — both individually and collectively — to build a unified Methodist response to migration issues.”
Next steps for 2026
With national elections approaching, Carcaño cautioned that migration may continue to be used politically to manipulate narratives and mobilize voters.
“Church leaders must uphold truth, confront injustice and acknowledge the human impact on children, elderly, women and other vulnerable populations,” she said. “Migrants are part of our church, and we must address these issues together. Our actions now will shape the identity and future of United Methodism in the United States and influence how we partner globally.”
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Church and Society will prioritize strengthening immigration advocacy networks, rapid-response teams, and training United Methodists to engage lawmakers, including advancing the Dignity Act on Capitol Hill and equipping members for faith-informed conversations with legislative staff.
U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) has been an exemplary advocate in Congress, according to Henderson-Edwards. “She is a United Methodist and frequently speaks about her roots and upbringing in the church. She is an extremely valuable legislative supporter, especially on this issue of immigration. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our collaboration with her and her office.”
Carcaño assured immigrant families that church leaders walk alongside them. “We are committed to accompany you in every way we can, to learn from your resilience and wisdom, and to work together toward a more just and compassionate society. Your courage strengthens our faith and reminds us of the Gospel mandate to serve others,” she said.
Henderson-Edwards added a pastoral perspective: “As a pastor, I see the Gospel as a message of hope. God is present in our struggles and knows our needs even before we can identify them. My invitation is to trust in that God, who walks with us through every challenge and guides us in our work for justice.”
The task force is mandated to guide the denomination in a prophetic response to migration challenges. Through coordination, situational analysis, education and action plans, the team seeks to unite efforts, advocating for the rights of migrants and refugees, offering legal and pastoral support, promoting policies that honor human dignity, denouncing inhumane practices and welcoming those who arrive in their communities.
For Arroyo, the challenge facing the church is the division between different positions regarding immigration justice, and the creation of spaces to engage in this conversation from a theological perspective that contributes to the discipleship formation of United Methodists.
An Advent call
As its meeting concluded, the task force issued a statement calling all United Methodist congregations and ministries to welcome, accompany and advocate for migrants. The document emphasizes that migration is not a new phenomenon but an ancient human experience reflected throughout Scripture — from Abraham’s journey to the Exodus — and the early church’s movement across borders. It notes that God calls the church to respond with compassion, justice and protection for those who are vulnerable.
The statement highlights the global scale of displacement, noting that millions of people are forced to flee their homes due to war, poverty, violence, climate change and oppressive systems. In the United States, recent immigration policies have intensified the suffering of families, resulting in migrants being criminalized and treated with contempt and children being separated from parents. The statement directly criticizes President Donald J. Trump’s administration for dehumanizing rhetoric, mass deportations and agreements with other countries to detain expelled migrants.
Citing the United Methodist Book of Resolutions, the document affirms that remaining silent in the face of family separation and the demonization of migrants constitutes complicity with sin. It reiterates core church principles: the equal dignity of all people, equitable access to rights and opportunities, protection of family unity, and the defense of human and civil rights.
The Advent call also provides concrete guidance for congregations and ministries, urging them to:
- Hold conference-level discussions and public witness on immigration issues.
- Develop safety plans for raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Customs and Border Protection agency.
- Support the Immigration Law and Justice Network and its sites.
- Collaborate with Church World Service, national mission institutions and community organizations.
- Apply for Global Ministries’ Community Engagement Grants and the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Mustard Seed Migration Grants.
- Build rapid-response teams with the Board of Church and Society.
- Share migrant stories with United Methodist Communications.
- Use the Commission on Religion and Race’s expertise in trauma-informed ministry and cross-cultural collaboration.
- Involve migrants directly in planning local ministry efforts.
- Use educational resources at ResourceUMC.org/Immigration.
The document emphasizes that congregations already supporting migrants — many of whom are themselves members or pastors living under fear of detention or deportation — serve as vital examples for the church. Bishops, clergy and lay leaders are called to stand firmly alongside these communities, embodying the Advent hope of God’s justice and mercy and living out the Gospel’s mandate to care for the most vulnerable.
Vásquez is coordinator of Hispanic/Latino communications for United Methodist Communications. Contact him at gvasquez@umcom.org.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
