Immigration Enforcement, Green Cards, and Refugee Resettlement: Three Urgent Advocacy Opportunities
As anti-immigrant policies in the U.S. continue to change and develop, Kate Parsons at ELCA Witness in Society (ELCA Advocacy) provides updates about:
the draft reconciliation bill that would give $70 billion+ to ICE/CBP;
a new USCIS policy memo that could severely limit green card applications; and
an updated refugee ceiling that continues to prioritize Afrikaners from South Africa over other populations in need.
After Advocates’ Outcry, Immigration Enforcement Funding Stalls in Congress
After a 76-day partial government shutdown, Congress reached a compromise on April 30 to (partially) fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the Fiscal Year in September 2026. After public outrage over excesses in immigration enforcement, Congress funded all parts of the agency (FEMA, Coast Guard, Secret Service) except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Control (CBP), which Republican members promised to fund separately through the budgetreconciliation process. The proposed reconciliation package – which requires near unanimity among Republican members but would not require Democratic votes – would fund immigration enforcement agencies through the end of President Trump’s term, allocating an additional $38 billion for ICE and $26 billion for CBP within a $71 billion total package. This would be on top of over $100 billion of still-unspent immigration funding from last year’s reconciliation bill that funded immigration enforcement and cut social services.
The package was first delayed by the controversial inclusion of $1 billion to fortify the White House East Wing ballroom (this was later removed by the Senate parliamentarian), and then by President Trump’s announcement of a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate individuals who claim they have been targeted by previous administrations. The deeply unpopular measures prompted some Republican members to announce they would vote for Democratic amendments against these uses of funds. Attempting to buy more time to unify the caucus, Republican leadership moved votes on the reconciliation package from the week of May 18th to the week of June 1st.
Advocacy Next Steps: ELCA has been calling for specific, detailed accountability measures to be included in any additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security, including protections from immigration enforcement for sensitive locations like churches. We encourage you to ask your members of Congress to vote NO on an additional blank check for immigration actions that harm our faith communities (action alert coming soon).
USCIS Policy Memo Casts Uncertainty on Green Card Application Process
On May 22, USCIS released a policy memorandum stating that those seeking “adjustment of status” (from a temporary visa to a Green Card) “do so through consular processing via the Department of State outside of the country”, except in “extraordinary cases.” Policy memos do not create policy, but they explain the current administration’s interpretation of existing policy. While DHS had already been slow-walking green card approvals, this policy articulates a more definitive change and risks separating families and causing enormous disruptions for people who have come to the U.S. through legal pathways.
Who would this apply to? This policy would apply to people who come to the U.S. on temporary visas (i.e. students, temporary workers) but who become eligible for permanent visas (often because of marriage or skilled work permits). Such “adjustments of status” have been normal, legal practice for decades. Forcing applicants to apply from outside of the country would separate spouses and parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents from their families; could cost applicants their U.S.-based jobs; and could expose applicants to travel bans making it difficult or impossible to return to the U.S..
Who does this NOT apply to? This policy exempts asylees, recipients of Cuban Adjustment Act, and refugees.
Advocacy Next Steps: We will continue to monitor this as there is still a lot of uncertainty in how it will be implemented and whether it will be challenged in court. We can uplift specific impact stories of how this will impact people in Lutheran communities for members of Congress – please reach out with any stories.
Administration Proposes Increasing Refugee Resettlement - but only for White South Africans
The Trump Administration is proposing increasing this year’s record-low refugee resettlement numbers from 7,500 to 17,500 – but reserving all additional slots for white South Africans. The determination would continue to leave tens of thousands of conditionally-approved refugees of other nationalities stranded overseas.
Advocacy Next Steps: Consider a public statement or action for World Refugee Day on June 20th (look out for an ELCA action alert week of June 8). Continue to call on members of Congress to press for refugee resettlement to be based on need, not prejudice, and to prioritize resettlement for those who have been approved and waiting for years.