C022 Migration with Dignity
Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring,
That the 81st General Convention, as people of faith, recognize and honor the divine spark that animates all human beings and advocate for Migration with Dignity, which is a set of immigration policies that champions equal and respectful treatment of all people as set forth in McClain, Shanna, Bruch, Carl et al., “Migration With Dignity: a Legal and Policy Framework,” 17 Journal of Disaster Research 3 (2022); and be it further
Resolved, That, acknowledging that grave and serious mistreatment of ethnic minorities, migrants and refugees is currently on the rise in the midst of record migration across international borders, the 81st General Convention, consistent with resolutions of the General Conventions of The Episcopal Church, declare itself to be in support of the following human rights included within the Migration with Dignity framework for all migrants, including refugees, asylum seekers, displaced persons, and those who cross borders in search of opportunity:
- 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, 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. and 2) equal opportunity for upward mobility.
- The right to access a basic quality of life, including employment, housing, and food.
- 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.
And be it further
Resolved, That the 81st General Convention call upon all Episcopalians, congregations, and dioceses to advocate that local, state, national, and international governing bodies promote Migration with Dignity by enforcing existing laws and policies on behalf of refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, and displaced persons, and by enacting new laws and policies guaranteeing their welcome, protection, and integration into our common human journey.
Explanation
Advocacy for Migration with Dignity follows directly from the teachings of Jesus, while aligning with the world’s other great religions and principled humanism.
This resolution is needed as a positive general statement, reaffirming and updating the Episcopal Church’s overall, long-standing commitment to human rights as they pertain to just treatment of the world’s refugees, asylum-seekers, and all migrants.
The resolution is deeply grounded in Scripture. No moral guidance is more clearly articulated in both Biblical testaments than the need to “welcome the stranger.” A few examples:
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)
Jesus’s second great commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
The six human rights (freedom of movement, to be secure, equality, basic quality of life, access to services, and civil and political rights) align with, and can be derived from, the United Nation’s 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 Lambeth Call: Human Dignity of 2022, 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 Pt. 4:8-10).
As a single, direct positive statement of principle, the resolution draws together positions that have been affirmed in more than 50 General Convention and Executive Council resolutions over the years. It will help us communicate our church’s stance more effectively, build support, and work alongside other pro-migrant organizations toward a world in which fundamental human rights extend to all people. A listing of the previous resolutions that support Migration With Dignity, with links to their full text, is attached as a supporting document.
The resolution, taken as a whole, defines a much-needed, innovative response to the increasing challenge of global migration. Current approaches have proven inadequate to this challenge. 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). With nearly 50 million immigrants currently living within our borders, the U.S. leads the world as a destination for migrants.
Support Documents:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
GC Resolutions Aligned with Migration with Dignity
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