Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Church World Service unequivocally condemns the Trump administration’s most recent memo that could subject up to 100,000 resettled refugees to arrests and detention. Coming on the heels of the horrific and unlawful arrests of refugees under Operation PARRIS in Minnesota, this new guidance outlines plans for the arrest and custodial “inspection” of refugees who have lived in the U.S. …

In early 2025, as the new U.S. administration moved to close off legal immigration pathways and prepare for mass detention and deportation of refugees and immigrants, CWS and our Covenant Partners watched with growing alarm. In response, we united under the Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge—a bold, public commitment by faith communities nationwide to stand against policies that endanger refugees and immigrants. In the months that …

Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today joins with the nation in mourning at the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson. A man of faith, civil rights icon, and advocate for the underserved, Reverend Jackson leaves behind a world better than he found it.  In response to Reverend Jackson’s passing, Rick Santos, president and CEO of Church World Service, issued the following statement:   …

Ruling Prevents Unlawful Targeting, Arrest and Detention of Legally Admitted Refugees in the State  Washington, D.C.—On Wednesday, in Minnesota, a federal judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) blocking the Trump administration from carrying out arrests and detentions of legally admitted refugees in Minnesota under Operation PARRIS. The order will remain in place while litigation on the issue proceeds. The judge further ordered the rapid release of all refugees detained under Operation PARRIS in Minnesota as well as those transferred to Texas.  More than 100 legally present refugees in Minnesota have been arrested and detained without being charged …

Washington, D.C.—Church World Service expresses its horror and grief in response to the shooting and killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal immigration enforcement officers on Saturday morning in Minneapolis. Pretti was an American citizen and Minnesotan who worked as a registered nurse in the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Pretti was shot and killed just 17 days after the killing of fellow …