SALISBURY, NC — Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC), the national Lutheran system, and other faith-based ministries were attacked by Elon Musk, and our resettlement of legal refugees has been stopped by the federal government. LSC is deeply concerned about the federal government’s halt of the longstanding, bipartisan-supported resettlement of legal refugees. This decision disrupts the lives of families already here—families who have endured a rigorous, years-long vetting process before finding refuge in the United States.

For over 30 years, LSC’s New Americans Program has worked with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement and nonprofit partner Global Refuge to welcome refugees and immigrants in North and South Carolina, walking alongside them as they integrate into our communities. Guided by Christ’s words in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” our mission is to help them not just survive, but thrive.

Refugees often arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs, relying on LSC for housing, healthcare access, English classes, school enrollment, and job assistance. This stop-work order cuts off critical support, making it nearly impossible for these families to succeed and contribute to their new communities.

“The resettlement of legal refugees through LSC’s New Americans Program is consistent with our biblical foundation and American values,” said LSC President and CEO Ted W. Goins, Jr. “As Scripture reminds us in Matthew 25:35, ‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’ Our work is rooted in this call to hospitality and care.”

Goins continued, “For decades, Lutheran Services Carolinas has helped refugees rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. Serving refugees strengthens our communities, honors our shared values, and upholds our nation’s legacy as a place of refuge. We urge leaders at all levels to consider the humanitarian impact of these decisions and to join us in ensuring that refugees and all vulnerable people are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.”

LSC is not alone in this call to action. The North Carolina Lutheran Church has also voiced its strong support for continuing the vital work of welcoming and resettling refugees.

“Now more than ever in these uncertain and divided times, we as the NC Synod and I as bishop continue to support Lutheran Services Carolinas and Global Refuge in the holy work of welcoming the stranger, helping resettle refugees vetted and entrusted to our care by the U.S. government, with or without the government’s financial assistance,” North Carolina Synod Bishop Tim Smith said.

LSC calls on the policymakers in both states to urge the White House and Congress to reinstate these vital services. Refugee resettlement is a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local partners, and without immediate action, families will face insurmountable barriers to stability and success.

We also ask the citizens of the Carolinas to stand in solidarity with legal refugees and immigrants as we live out the biblical mandate to welcome the stranger. Your support is critical as LSC remains steadfast in its mission to walk together with all we serve.

Together, we can ensure that these families—who have already overcome so much—can continue building safe, stable, and hopeful futures.