C013 Migration with Dignity
Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring,
That, acknowledging that grave and serious mistreatment of ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees is on the rise in the midst of record migration, the 81st General Convention, consistent with resolutions of previous General Conventions, declare itself to be in support of Migration with Dignity for all, including refugees, asylum seekers, displaced persons, and those who cross borders in search of opportunity; and be it further
Resolved, That the 81st General Convention directs the Office of Government relations to promote Migration with Dignity in its work with the Federal Government. Advocating for the enforcement of existing laws and policies that uphold these principles, and supporting the enactment of new laws and policies guaranteeing the adoption of these Migration with Dignity Principles.
Explanation
The Diocese of Northern California has been in the forefront of migrant issues with the recent arrival of displaced asylum seekers from Texas. We have participated in hosting them through Trinity Cathedral and our partnership with Sacramento ACT.
The resolution to the 112th Convention of the Diocese of Northern California is proposed in solidarity with other Episcopal Dioceses. It encourages the adoption of the Migration with Dignity framework, created in response to climate migration, but increasingly recognized as necessary as migration increases across the world. This resolution reaffirms and updates the Episcopal Church’s long-standing commitment to human rights as they pertain to the just treatment of refugees, asylum-seekers, and all migrants.
The resolution is grounded in Scripture:
Old Testament: “Don’t mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead, treat them as well as you treat citizens and love them as much as you love yourself. Remember, you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34).
New Testament: “Be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests, without even knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)
The Migration with Dignity framework has been developed in anticipation of increased migration due to climate change. At the heart of the principles is a commitment to human dignity. This framework includes the following principles:
- A universal right of movement consistent with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), including freedom to leave and return to one’s country of origin, and freedom of movement within one’s country of origin or country of settlement (UDHR, Article 13).
- The right to be secure: from sexual violence including rape and sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery, forced labor, and arbitrary and abusive detention
- The right of equality, to include: 1) equal treatment with no discrimination under the law based on color, gender, language, religion, political affiliation, national origin, or disability; and 2) equal opportunity for upward mobility
- Rights to a basic quality of life, including employment rights, housing rights, and food rights
- The right to access services such as health care, education, and legal representation
- Civil and political rights guaranteeing the right to identity, to use of one’s language, and to freedom of speech and religion;
All six of these elements align with, and can be derived from, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Episcopal Church has strongly supported this landmark statement since it was initially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
The resolution also accords with and supports key positions of the Anglican Communion. As set forth in the 2022 Lambeth Call on Human Dignity, actions against the human dignity of God’s children, including those against migrants and refugees, are sin, and hospitality to all and faithfulness to each are key marks of a godly community (1 Peter 4:8-10).
The resolution, taken as a whole, defines a much-needed, innovative response to the increasing challenge of global migration. Grave and serious mistreatment of ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees is currently on the rise both in the United States and globally in the midst of record migration across international borders. The number of international migrants grew to 281 million in 2020, meaning that 3.6% of the world’s people lived outside their country of birth that year, according to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Support Documents:
The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Lambeth Human Dignity Call of 2022
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