Episcopal Bishop who attacked President Trump received $53 million of taxpayer funds

The Episcopal Bishop who criticized President Donald Trump during an inaugural prayer service has come under fire after it was revealed that the church's federal contracting arm, Episcopal Migration Ministry (EMM), received $53 million of taxpayer funds in 2023 for its migrant resettlement program. The Trump administration has temporarily paused these programs for evaluation.

According to records, EMM received $53 million of taxpayer funds from various government programs to resettle 3,600 individuals in 2023, the New York Post reported. Budget figures for 2024 are not yet available; however, the EMM sponsored 6,400 individuals in 2024 from across 48 countries, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Vietnam, and others.

Since EMM has limited lobbying power, the Episcopal Church—a separate legal entity—advocates for additional programs that benefit EMM in Washington, DC, the outlet said. A 2012 Government Accountability Office report states that "funding is based on the number of refugees they serve, so affiliates have an incentive to maintain or increase the number of refugees they resettle each year rather than allowing the number to decrease."

Because of the federal funding the church receives for its refugee resettlement programs, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde has been accused of delivering a self-serving sermon when she chose to target the president about his administration's immigration policies at the prayer service. These refugee resettlement programs are under evaluation for abuse of the system.

"Let me make one final plea, Mr. President," Budde said. "In the name of a loving God, to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives. And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings...They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals...I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away."

EMM facilitates the resettlement of LGBTQ migrants and asylees through a specialized federal refugee initiation established during the Obama administration, known as "Preferred Communities." This program provides extra government funds over standard resettlement programs, and is specifically designed for "refugees experiencing social or psychological difficulties, including emotional trauma resulting from war and/or sexual or gender-based violence; survivors of torture; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) refugees; refugees who are HIV positive; populations with physical disabilities or other medical conditions."

Additionally, there is a public-private partnership initiative called the "Matching Grant." However, the Department of Health and Human Services offers the EMM $1 for every 10 cents, so it's not quite an exact match. The Episcopal Church also earns a commission for collecting travel loans made to refugees by the EMM.

Furthermore, the International Organization for Migration, which lends money for refugees' travel to the United States, is funded by taxpayers. The Episcopal Church, not EMM, retains 25 percent of the money if the refugee repays the interest-free loan.