C031 Migration with Dignity
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."
All six of the key elements of the resolution align with, and can be derived from, the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). They are also fully consistent with more recent international frameworks, such as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, the UN Global Compact for Migration, the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Refugee Forum. These are attached as supporting documents. The Episcopal Church has consistently supported these landmark statements and agreements.
The resolution also accords with and supports key positions of the Anglican Communion. As set forth in the Lambeth Human Dignity call 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). This statement is attached as a supporting document,
As a single, clear and 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. Its concision and clarity 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. Many of these previous resolutions advocate government action; the Migration with Dignity principles establish rights of migrants that can serve as the basis of advocacy for just and compassionate government policies and practices and as a guiding foundation for action by dioceses, congregations, and individuals in The Episcopal Church.
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 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).
The Migration with Dignity framework is presented and discussed in greater detail in two articles published in 2022 in the Journal of Disaster Research, which are attached as supporting documents.
The budget for the proposed Task Force on Migration with Dignity breaks down as follows:
Two in-person meetings for 14 people:
Two, two-and-a-half day meetings @ $1,700 per person = $47,600.
Total: Round up to $50,000 due to international travel costs.
Strategic planning consultant:
Two meeting days @ $800 per day = $1600
Travel costs for meeting = $1700
Administrative work @$700/day = $700
Total: $4,000
Task Force budget total: $54,000
Support Documents:
Migración con Dignidad, Documentos de apoyo
Migration with Dignity, Supporting Documents
Note: this resolution and/or its explanation contains external references, such as URLs of websites, that may not be in the required languages of General Convention. Because of copyright restrictions, the General Convention cannot provide translations. However, your web browser may be able to provide a machine translation into another language. If you need assistance with this, please contact [email protected].
Explanation
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."
All six of the key elements of the resolution align with, and can be derived from, the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). They are also fully consistent with more recent international frameworks, such as the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, the UN Global Compact for Migration, the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Refugee Forum. These are attached as supporting documents. The Episcopal Church has consistently supported these landmark statements and agreements.
The resolution also accords with and supports key positions of the Anglican Communion. As set forth in the Lambeth Human Dignity call 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). This statement is attached as a supporting document,
As a single, clear and 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. Its concision and clarity 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. Many of these previous resolutions advocate government action; the Migration with Dignity principles establish rights of migrants that can serve as the basis of advocacy for just and compassionate government policies and practices and as a guiding foundation for action by dioceses, congregations, and individuals in The Episcopal Church.
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 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).
The Migration with Dignity framework is presented and discussed in greater detail in two articles published in 2022 in the Journal of Disaster Research, which are attached as supporting documents.
The budget for the proposed Task Force on Migration with Dignity breaks down as follows:
Two in-person meetings for 14 people:
Two, two-and-a-half day meetings @ $1,700 per person = $47,600.
Total: Round up to $50,000 due to international travel costs.
Strategic planning consultant:
Two meeting days @ $800 per day = $1600
Travel costs for meeting = $1700
Administrative work @$700/day = $700
Total: $4,000
Task Force budget total: $54,000
Support Documents:
Migración con Dignidad, Documentos de apoyo
Migration with Dignity, Supporting Documents
Note: this resolution and/or its explanation contains external references, such as URLs of websites, that may not be in the required languages of General Convention. Because of copyright restrictions, the General Convention cannot provide translations. However, your web browser may be able to provide a machine translation into another language. If you need assistance with this, please contact [email protected].