Protesting Aid Cutoff
The Rev. Sharon Stanley-Rea, center, speaks during a protest against the shuttering of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, near the White House in Washington. (RNS photo/Aleja Hertzler-McCain)
Church World Service | May 9, 2025
NEW YORK CITY – Church World Service, the United Methodist Church's partner in refugee assistant, expressed deep concern over news that the Trump Administration will admit Afrikaners and other racial minorities from South Africa to the United States as refugees, while simultaneously delaying compliance with court orders to resume the life-saving refugee resettlement program. In Pacito v. Trump, the U.S. Government was ordered to process and provide resettlement support to approximately 12,000 refugees who were conditionally approved and had travel scheduled before January 20.
CWS President and CEO Rick Santos issued the following statement:
“We are concerned that the U.S. Government has chosen to fast-track the admission of Afrikaners, while actively fighting court orders to provide life-saving resettlement to other refugee populations who are in desperate need of resettlement.
“By resettling this population, the Government is demonstrating that it still has the capacity to quickly screen, process, and depart refugees to the United States. It’s time for the Administration to honor our nation’s commitment to the thousands of refugee families it abandoned with its cruel and illegal executive order.”
“Despite the Administration’s actions, CWS remains committed to serving all eligible refugee populations seeking safety in the United States, including Afrikaners who are eligible for services. Our faith compels us to serve each person in our care with dignity and compassion.
“We continue to urge Congress and the Administration to restore a robust refugee resettlement program that prioritizes refugee families who remain in grave danger. For decades, the refugee resettlement program has been a vital humanitarian program that supports U.S. diplomacy, promotes national security, and enriches American communities.”
Pacito v Trump challenges the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and the abrupt withholding of millions of dollars in critical funds to refugee-serving agencies and was filed by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) on behalf of Church World Service (CWS), HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), and nine impacted individuals.