Since President Trump initiated his federal immigration crackdown, sending thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Minnesota, the communities that Open Circle Church of the Brethren supports have been in crisis.
At least two Church of the Brethren pastors—Jenn Hosler of Washington (D.C.) City Church of the Brethren and Matt Rittle of Arlington (Va.) Church of the Brethren—answered a call from local organizers for interfaith ministers to go to Minneapolis, Minn., last week as clergy support during events responding to immigration enforcement.
The Leadership Team of the Church of the Brethren’s Michigan District has written a letter “with heavy hearts and profound sorrow over a series of tragic events that have shaken our nation and deeply burdened our consciences.” The letter responded to recent violence related to immigration enforcement including the shootings of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Weighing heavy on my heart is the violence and political unrest being experienced in Minnesota. Most of the activity is occurring in Minneapolis, but there is an ICE presence here in Rochester as well.
As we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I dream of a day when we embrace discomfort as part of our sacred calling to live in unity—many stories, one Spirit, one body in Christ. Hope is born when love refuses to remain silent. Justice, after all, is love made visible, and kindness is faith in action.
The Deportation Defense Response Team, an initiative of several Church of the Brethren districts with the Intercultural Ministries and On Earth Peace, has provided a toolkit of resources online at https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/168SYb-D3cMBO8ORb4sDXMqMbA2yvSGCN.
During Christmas, we celebrate the good news that God chose to dwell among us—entering our world with humility, love, and grace. In Jesus Christ, we are brought together as one family, rich in diversity and deeply loved.
The Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA), which provides grants to outreach ministries of Church of the Brethren camps and congregations, has announced its last grants for this year are going to eight Church of the Brethren congregations
The Deportation Defense Response team is incredibly grateful for the generous support of the Legal and Mutual Aid Grant Fund. At the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference on July 7, 2025, On Earth Peace challenged the denomination to raise $100,000. And the church did it, and more. As of Dec. 1, 2025, $138,300 has been raised to support individuals and families caught in the immigration system.
The following immigration changes along with increasingly harmful rhetoric from this administration affect many of our fellow Church of the Brethren members, neighbors, friends, and family members. These sweeping decisions create uncertainty, feelings of rejection and confusion, and an increased fear of detention and deportation in a period of waiting.