Today, our hearts are heavy.
The Supreme Court’s decision concerning Temporary Protected Status has brought profound grief, uncertainty, and anxiety to countless Haitian families.
On Thursday, June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing the federal government to remove temporary protected status (TPS) from Haitians, Syrians, and a number of groups who have been in the United States legally and had been protected from deportation. This decision affects hundreds of thousands of people including an estimated 300 church members of Haitian background in about 7 congregations of the Church of the Brethren.
Behind every legal decision are real people—parents, children, grandparents, students, workers, neighbors, and faithful members of our churches whose lives have been shaped by hope, sacrifice, and perseverance.
As the Church, we lament with those who lament: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 NKJV). We recognize that many in our congregations are wondering what tomorrow will bring. Some fear separation from loved ones. Others worry about losing their work, their homes, or the stability they have spent years building.
Our faith does not call us to ignore suffering. It calls us to stand beside those who suffer.
Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly commands God’s people to welcome the stranger, defend the vulnerable, and seek justice with mercy (Leviticus 19:33-34, Micah 6:8, Matthew 25:35). Those commands remain unchanged today.
This is a moment for the Church to become even more fully the Body of Christ:
- To pray with and for affected families.
- To accompany those navigating difficult legal and practical decisions.
- To resist fear with hope.
- To bear one another’s burdens in tangible ways.
- To continue advocating for policies that honor both human dignity and justice.
We also remember our brothers and sisters in Haiti, where violence, political instability, humanitarian crises, and widespread displacement continue to make daily life extraordinarily dangerous for many people.
Our hope is not rooted solely in court decisions or political systems. Our hope is rooted in Jesus Christ, who Himself knew what it meant to flee violence as a refugee child and who continually identifies Himself with the stranger.
To every Haitian family and all those living with fear today:
You are not forgotten. You are not alone. God loves you, and the Church must continue to walk with you.
May we have the courage to embody Christ’s compassion, pursue justice with humility, and remain steadfast in hope.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18, NRSV).
The Mission and Ministry Board at its meeting on Sunday, June 28, 2026 in Fort Wayne, Indiana adopted by consensus the statement “Our Faith Calls us to Stand Beside those who Suffer.”