Borders and belonging: Churches respond to migration in Europe and the US

As migration continues to shape the political and humanitarian landscape across continents, faith-based organizations are stepping into the breach to advocate for justice, dignity and protection for people on the move. A report released by the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) to its partners offered an account of how European churches are responding to migration trends — particularly in Southern Europe, where African migrants face increasingly restrictive policies. Founded in 1964, CCME is an organization of churches representing 19 countries. CCME still actively cooperates with the Conference of European Churches and is a global ecumenical partner of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

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Luciano Kovacs, a global ecumenical liaison for the Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA) based in Turin, Italy, has noticed a rise in far-right rhetoric in Europe that is highlighted in CCME’s report. “Migration is used as an electoral tool,” Kovacs said. “Politicians speak of ‘invasion’ and ‘migration fatigue,’ flipping public sentiment from compassion to fear. This has led to an erosion of rights and a shift in European Union policies that prioritize deterrence over protection.”

In a consultation with Kovacs, Amanda Craft, manager of Immigration Advocacy for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), reflected on the parallels between Europe and the United States and the role of churches in both contexts. Craft noted that while legal frameworks differ, both the U.S. and the EU are experiencing a troubling shift toward isolationism and the erosion of protective rights. “Receiving countries continue to look at migration as a problem instead of seeing humanity and goodness,” she said. “In the U.S., there are beneficial asylum laws, but systems that make it nearly impossible to access them. Those who seek protections are demonized.”

The CCME report documents this shift in detail. Despite a decline in new arrivals in 2024, political debates intensified, often ignoring international legal frameworks. The adoption of the EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum, while intended to streamline policy, has raised concerns among advocates. CCME warns that the Pact may make life more precarious for refugees and asylum seekers without offering meaningful solutions.

One of the most striking parallels between Europe and the U.S. is the different treatment of migrants based on race and nationality. Craft highlighted how Ukrainian refugees were welcomed openly, while migrants from Africa and Latin America faced barriers, hostility and violence. “It relates to how the dominant culture in the U.S. views race, ethnicity and nationality,” she said. “The same pattern is visible in Europe.”

For churches wanting to learn more about global migration and how to respond in faithful witness, Kovacs recommended the film “Green Border” by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland. It dramatizes the contrast in treatment between Ukrainian refugees and nonwhite asylum seekers at the Belarus-Poland border. “It’s a powerful illustration of how whiteness still shapes migration policy,” he said.

The Southern Europe Mission Network, a PC(USA) initiative, has also drawn connections between migration at Europe’s southern borders and the U.S.-Mexico border. In 2023, a meeting in Arizona brought together partners from Greece and the U.S. to explore shared challenges and strategies.

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Despite these challenges, both CCME and the PC(USA) are committed to advocacy and accompaniment. CCME’s work includes training national church members to engage with EU policy, supporting resettlement coalitions, and developing alternative asylum models that prioritize people over borders. Their partnership with the All Africa Conference of Churches, including a joint forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, exemplifies their commitment to centering the voices of those most affected.

According to Craft, similar partnerships exist in the U.S. context. “We work with migrant-led organizations to ensure that responses are shaped by those directly impacted,” she said.

“In these partnerships, the experience of those who have migrated or immigrated is centered,” said Craft, who tied the work that CCME does in Europe with the work the PC(USA) does through partnerships in the United States.

Craft described how “this response is much richer in looking at the larger systemic issues that highlight the underlying causes or harm.”

Ultimately, both Craft and Kovacs see the church’s role as vital in resisting nationalism and promoting global solidarity. “The church voice is key,” Craft said. “We are called to stand in solidarity with immigrant and migrant communities and to provide accompaniment rooted in faith.” Craft noted the long history of Presbyterians in immigration advocacy. The first record of Presbyterians in the United States advocating on behalf of the rights of immigrants was in 1893 in response to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The Chinese Presbyterian Church in Louisiana was founded while the U.S. government was implementing restrictive immigration policies against Chinese laborers. “Our connections to mission partners become crucial ways in which we understand the world around us, how God is revealed in that world, and guide the way we engage,” said Craft.

As CCME celebrates 60 years of advocacy, its mission remains clear: to promote an inclusive community through policies that uphold the dignity of migrants, refugees and minority groups. The PC(USA), through its partnerships and prophetic witness, continues to walk alongside.