We Are The Wall

Episcopal and other faith leaders across the United States are moving from cautious statements to active resistance, organizing legal, pastoral, and public-witness efforts to defend immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities, and other vulnerable communities in an increasingly hostile political climate.[1][2][3] Some bishops are telling clergy to get their wills and affairs in order, signaling that they expect real risk as they accompany those targeted by new federal policies and rising hate violence.[4][5][6]

“I have asked [the clergy of the diocese] to get their affairs in order, to make sure they have their wills written... because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.” Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld's galvanizing call to action at a candlelight vigil in Concord, New Hampshire (January 2026)

- In New Hampshire and elsewhere, Episcopal bishops have told clergy to prepare their wills and personal affairs because “now is no longer the time for statements, but for us to stand with the vulnerable,” making clear they anticipate dangerous confrontations with state power and extremist violence.[4][5][6]

- This language, shared widely in church and interfaith networks, frames ministry to targeted communities as a form of civil courage and potential civil disobedience, akin to earlier eras when clergy risked their lives in the civil rights movement.[7][8]

- Episcopal dioceses describe their work as “Sacred Resistance,” mobilizing clergy, lay leaders, and activists to provide advocacy, emergency accompaniment, and sanctuary-style support for immigrants and LGBTQ+ people facing deportation threats and civil-rights rollbacks.[1][3]

- Congregations are organizing rapid-response teams to show up at immigration raids, offer safe space during enforcement actions, and connect families to legal aid, housing, and basic services when a breadwinner is detained or deported.[1][9]

- The Episcopal Church has joined ecumenical lawsuits to keep immigration enforcement agents from patrolling churches and other houses of worship without warrants, insisting that sanctuaries remain protected spaces for prayer and refuge.[3][9]

- Broad coalitions of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faith groups are signing declarations like the “Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge,” pledging to oppose policies that slash refugee admissions, separate families, and target asylum seekers, and to press Congress and the administration to restore protections.[10][11][12]

Interfaith response to hate and violence

- Interfaith organizations report that FBI hate-crime data show some of the highest levels of attacks in decades, especially against Black Americans, LGBTQ+ people, and Muslim, Jewish, and Sikh communities, and are calling faith leaders to “stand together in defense of our neighbors” against white Christian nationalism and other extremist ideologies.[2]

- Groups like Interfaith Alliance are launching nationwide campaigns condemning immigration‑related killings and other acts of political violence, urging congregations to reject rhetoric that dehumanizes migrants, religious minorities, and queer people and to publicly affirm pluralism and civil rights.[2][13]

Pastoral care, public witness, and long-term organizing

- Many churches are expanding pastoral care for those living in fear—hosting support groups for undocumented families, trauma-informed counseling, and multilingual education on rights in encounters with law enforcement and immigration officers.[1][14]

- Faith communities are planning sustained public witness: coordinated days of action to defend democracy and social safety-net programs; voter education rooted in concern for the poor and marginalized; and ongoing partnerships with legal-aid groups, health providers, and community organizers so that advocacy for the vulnerable becomes not a one-time response but a long-term ministry.[8][14][12]

Citations:

[1] Sacred Resistance '2.0' gearing up to support vulnerable ... https://diocesela.org/news/sacred-resistance-2-0-gearing-up-to-support-vulnerable-communities-across-diocese/

[2] FBI's 2024 Hate Crime Data Shows Alarming Threat to Religious ... https://interfaithalliance.org/post/fbis-2024-hate-crime-data-shows-alarming-threat-to-religious-minorities-vulnerable-communities

[3] Top Episcopal stories of 2025 track the church through a year of ... https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2025/12/23/top-episcopal-stories-of-2025-track-the-church-through-a-year-of-disruptions-transitions/

[4] now is not the time for statements. I have asked the clergy to get their ... https://www.facebook.com/groups/161318610559306/posts/25994497433481403/

[5] This is a powerful testament to the moment we are in ... - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTYDd9SEXiV/

[6] Interfaith Alliance - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@interfaithalliance/video/7594131227829947703

[7] Bishop advises clergy to prepare for action - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1167275855111078/posts/1426740055831322/

[8] Faith communities are setting a courageous example for standing up ... https://religionnews.com/2025/04/04/faith-communities-are-setting-a-courageous-example-for-standing-up-to-trump/

[9] Action Alerts - The Episcopal Church https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/action-alerts/

[10] Faith Communities Unite in Historic Declaration to Defend Refugees ... https://cwsglobal.org/press-releases/faith-communities-unite-in-historic-declaration-to-defend-refugees-at-critical-crossroads-for-u-s-policy/

[11] Faith Groups Outraged at Lowest Refugee Admissions Goal in History https://www.interfaithimmigration.org/2025/10/14/faith-groups-react-refugee-pd-fy2026-reports/

[12] Faith Communities Across Traditions Tell the Trump Administration ... https://www.interfaithimmigration.org/2025/01/23/faith-communities-across-traditions-tell-the-trump-administration-to-follow-gods-directives-to-welcome-immigrants/

[13] Interfaith Alliance Condemns Brutal ICE Killing – Calls for Faith ... https://www.interfaithalliance.org/post/interfaith-alliance-condemns-brutal-ice-killing---calls-for-faith-communities-to-reject-authoritarianism-and-choose-love-not-ice

[14] Announcing Interfaith America's 2024-2025 Cohort of Faith & Health ... https://www.interfaithamerica.org/article/faith-health-fellows-2024/

[15] St. Mark's Episcopal Anglican Church | Silver Spring MD - Facebook https:

//www.facebook.com/stmarksepiscopalofficial/