How Does the Church Support Refugees and Migrants?

In 2019 the ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to declare theELCA a sanctuary denomination. The declaration built on the church’s commitment to accompany migrant children and families through its AMMPARO strategy.

AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection,Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities) was approved by the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly after nearly 60,000 unaccompanied minors from CentralAmerica were apprehended on the U.S.-Mexico border. The strategy has provided sponsorship training to its 223 welcoming congregations and 47 sanctuary congregations and other ELCA partners.

A “sanctuary denomination” is a church body that walks alongside immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers as a matter of faith.

For some congregations the sanctuary denomination vote affirmed the work they had already been doing to serve their immigrant neighbors. For others it was a call to action and an awakening to the plight faced by many undocumented immigrants.

Some “hosting” congregations provide physical shelter for undocumented immigrants. Some congregations house undocumented immigrants indefinitely; others provide housing for shorter periods.

For other ELCA congregations, responding to the church’s call to be sanctuary has meant accompanying undocumented immigrants in other ways.Some are involved in accompaniment programs, escorting undocumented immigrants to court appointments and asylum proceedings.

Other congregations host English as a Second Language classes or hold discussions on what our faith says about immigration.

Being a sanctuary denomination means that we, as church together, want to be public and vocal about this work. It will look different for everyone, but welcoming people is not a political issue for this church —it is a matter of faith.

In baptism we are brought into a covenantal relationship with Jesus Christ that commits us to strive for justice and peace in all the earth. Following the example of Martin Luther, ELCA Lutherans believe that advocacy is a crucial expression of baptismal identity.

For decades the ELCA has opposed the detention of children and families. We have spoken out against family separation, sought a pathway to citizenship for community members who have lived in the U.S. for many years, and taken steps to address the root causes of migration in a way that honors the humanity in people who must flee.

Because Jesus calls us to radically welcome our neighbors in need, the ELCA responds to the refugee crisis in a variety of ways. Through ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response, we accompany our displaced neighbors, meeting their immediate needs and providing long-term holistic support. 

Learn more

To learn more about being a sanctuary a denomination, visit elca.org/sanctuarychurch.

To get involved with ELCA’s AMMPARO strategy, visit elca.org/ammparo.

Read the ELCA social message “Immigration”(1998).

Become a welcoming congregation by accompanying children and families through their transition to life in the United States.

Accompany migrant children and families through the Guardian Angel Program as the physical presence of the church in the courtroom, or consider joining a local visitation ministry at a detention center.

To advocate for justice for migrant children and families, visit elca.org/advocacy. 

Sources: Living Lutheran articles by Stephanie Grimoldby, Anne Basye and Michael Rinehart.