From the Episcopal Church Public Affairs Office:
The Episcopal Church condemns the administration’s decision to reduce the number of refugees and further dismantle the refugee resettlement program. We also strongly condemn the decision to allow states and localities to reject refugees. The historic average for annual refugee admissions has been 95,000. The FY2020 determination of 18,000 refugees is the lowest in the forty year history of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to welcome the stranger and respect the dignity of every human being. Those fleeing persecution have a particular claim on our attention and concern as they seek a life of dignity and peace in the face of oppression.
“This decision will substantially hamper the vital work of Episcopal Migration Ministries to show the love of Christ to some of the most vulnerable people in the world” said The Rev. Dr. C.K. Robertson, canon to the presiding bishop for ministry beyond The Episcopal Church. “There are millions of displaced persons around the world. The United States has a solemn obligation to do its part to aid this problem by showing generosity to refugees. Security and compassion are not mutually exclusive.”
The full text of the press release is available here. For more information on the change in policy, read these stories from Reuters and the NY Times, to name but a few of the outlets covering it), and the official White House press release.