Statement from the Council of Bishops on the Supreme Court Decision in Mullin v. Doe (Consolidated with Trump v. Miot) The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot gives the Trump administration power to turn away asylum seekers and strip Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from about 350,000 Haitians and more than 6,000 Syrians. This ruling comes amid openly anti-Haitian rhetoric that denies the dignity of Haitian people and erases the shared history of Haiti and the United States. We remember and honor Haitian-born Venerable Pierre Toussaint who, enslaved and brought to New York City in 1787, nevertheless rose to prominence through his deep faith and extraordinary generosity. Like Richard Allen, Toussaint gave himself to purchasing freedom for the enslaved, welcoming orphans, expanding educational opportunity, and caring for those suffering from yellow fever. He—and countless unnamed Haitians—helped lay the physical and moral infrastructure of a “new” United States with their sacrifices, service, and love. As Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, we declare plainly: Haitian lives are not disposable, and migrants are not a threat to be feared. Haitians are God’s children, made in God’s image, and part of a long history of courage, resilience, and contributions to the United States. As the United States marks 250 years since its founding, we insist that this history be told truthfully. The United States was built not only by the will of founders but by the unpaid labor and spiritual resilience of enslaved Africans, Indigenous peoples, and migrants whose names rarely appear in official histories. Any celebration that ignores this cost is not patriotism; it is historical amnesia. We reject any celebration of the founding of the United States that: Ignores the genocide of Indigenous peoples of the Americas and Caribbean; Whitewashes history to center white supremacy; and Uses fear and hatred to justify cruel and racist immigration policies. We stand in holy defiance, as our forebears did when they walked out of St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in 1787 to protect their God-given dignity. We stand with Haitians in Haiti, across the Haitian Diaspora, and especially within our 16th Episcopal District, and with all who are targeted by racist policies and rhetoric today. Our faith commands us to welcome the stranger, “for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews13:2), and teaches that when we welcome the vulnerable, we welcome Christ himself (Matthew 25:31–40). Therefore, we: Affirm the dignity and worth of Haitian and Syrian TPS holders and asylum seekers; Support laws and policies that protect migrants and reflect a tradition of welcome; and Call congregations and communities to pray, speak, organize, and advocate against xenophobic (fear, hatred, or distrust of people who are perceived as foreign, strange, or from different countries or cultures) narratives and unjust policies. We invite all people of goodwill—church members, pastors, civic leaders, and neighbors—to refuse silence, challenge anti-Haitian and anti-immigrant speech, and work for a more just and hospitable nation. We commit ourselves to receiving and not removing our Haitian family as we stand together in faith, hope, and holy resistance. Bishop Marvin C. Zanders II, President  Bishop Francine A. Brookins, Secretary and Chair of Social Action Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah, Senior Bishop

Not on our list? Join Here The News Digest contains selected articles from the newspaper.  Click below to get full access! Buy Here

Share Tweet Forward The Christian Recorder is the official newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the oldest continuously produced publication by persons of African descent.   Bishop Francine A. Brookins, Chair of the General Board Commission on Publications Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, President/Publisher of the AME Sunday School Union Dr. John Thomas III, Editor of The Christian Recorder Copyright © 2026 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.