[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] One hundred Episcopal Church bishops have joined Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in welcoming President Obama’s decision to offer relief from deportation to millions of undocumented community members and to reform certain harmful immigration enforcement policies.

“I give thanks for President Obama’s announcement that nearly five million undocumented immigrants will soon be eligible for relief from the threat of deportation,” the letter states.

In the statement, the Presiding Bishop and the bishops call upon the 114th Congress and the Obama Administration to work together to implement the executive orders quickly, fairly, and inclusively, and ask that Congress and the Administration continue to work together in pursuit of just and permanent solutions to our nation’s broken immigration system.

The statement will be sent to members of the 114th Congress and to the White House.

The statement and the signatories follow:

Together with families and communities across the United States, I give thanks for President Obama’s announcement that nearly five million undocumented immigrants will soon be eligible for relief from the threat of deportation. Too many families have lived for too long continually worried about parents being separated from children, wage-earners and caregivers from those who depend on them, and unable to participate fully in their communities and the nation’s economy.  Permanent and comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system through congressional action is still urgently needed, but the President’s action is a constructive step toward a system that honors the dignity and intrinsic value of every human being.  It will immediately strengthen our nation’s communities by allowing immigrant families much fuller participation in American civic and economic life. 

The Episcopal Church will work with Congressional leaders and the White House to press for implementation of the President’s plan as quickly, fairly, and inclusively as possible.  The President’s plan is not perfect.  Some deserving persons and families are excluded, meaning that additional work lies ahead.  All persons equally deserve the ability to pursue their dreams and contribute to their communities and families with liberty, dignity, and freedom.  I pray that the President’s action will lead our nation toward a future in which those sacred possibilities are open to all.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

The Right Rev. Stacy F. Sauls
Chief Operating Officer
The Episcopal Church

The Right Rev. James B. Magness
Bishop Suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries

Arizona
The Right Rev. Kirk Stevan Smith, Ph.D, D. D.
Bishop of Arizona

Arkansas
The Right Rev. Larry Benfield
Bishop of Arkansas

California
The Right Rev. Marc Andrus
Bishop of California

The Right Rev. J. Jon Bruno, D.D.
Bishop of Los Angeles

The Right Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce
Bishop Suffragan of Los Angeles

The Right Rev. Mary D. Glasspool
Bishop Suffragan of Los Angeles

The Right Rev. Frederick H. Borsch
V Bishop of Los Angeles

The Right Rev. Barry L. Beisner
Bishop of Northern California

The Right Rev. James R. Mathes
Bishop of San Diego

The Right Rev. David C. Rice
Bishop of San Joaquin

Colorado
The Right Rev. Robert O’Neill
Bishop of Colorado

Connecticut
The Right Rev. Andrew D. Smith
XIV Bishop of Connecticut

The Right Rev. James E. Curry
Bishop Suffragan of Connecticut (Ret)

Delaware
The Right Rev. Wayne P. Wright
Bishop of Delaware

District of Columbia
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde
Bishop of Washington

The Right Rev. John Bryson Chane
VIII Bishop of Washington

Florida
The Right Rev. William H. Folwell
II Bishop of Central Florida

The Right Rev. Philip M. Duncan II, D.Min.
Bishop of the Central Gulf Coast

The Right Rev. Leo Frade
Bishop of Southeast Florida

The Right Rev. John L. Said
Bishop Suffragan of Southeast Florida (Ret)

The Right Rev. Rogers S. Harris
III Bishop of Southwest Florida

The Right Rev. J. Michael Garrison
Assisting Bishop of Southwest Florida
(X Bishop of Western New York)

The Right Rev. Barry R. Howe
Assisting Bishop of Southwest Florida
(VII Bishop of West Missouri)

Georgia
The Right Rev. Robert Christopher Wright
Bishop of Atlanta

Hawaii
The Right Rev. Robert L. Fitzpatrick
Bishop of Hawaii and the Episcopal Church in Micronesia

The Right Rev. Richard S.O. Chang
X Bishop of Hawaii

Idaho
The Right Rev. Brian Thom
Bishop of Idaho

Illinois
The Right Rev. C. Christopher Epting
Assisting Bishop of Chicago
(VII Bishop of Iowa)

The Right Rev. Jeffrey Lee
Bishop of Chicago

Indiana
The Right Rev. Catherine Waynick
Bishop of Indianapolis

Kansas
The Right Rev. Dean E. Wolfe
Vice President of the House of Bishops, Bishop of Kansas

The Right Rev. William E. Smalley
VIII Bishop of Kansas

Kentucky
The Right Rev. David B. Reed
VI Bishop of Kentucky

The Right Rev. Douglas Hahn, D. Min.
Bishop of Lexington

Maine
The Right Rev. Stephen T. Lane
Bishop of Maine

Maryland
The Right Rev. Martin G. Townsend
IX Bishop of Easton

The Right Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton
Bishop of Maryland

Massachusetts
The Right Rev. Bud Cederholm
Bishop Suffragan of Massachusetts (Ret)

The Right Rev. Douglas Fisher
Bishop of Western Massachusetts

The Right Rev. Gordon P. Scruton
VIII Bishop of Western Massachusetts

Michigan
The Right Rev. Todd Ousley
Bishop of Eastern Michigan

The Right Rev. Dr. Edwin M. Leidel, Jr.
I Bishop of Eastern Michigan

The Right Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr.
Bishop of Michigan

The Right Rev. R Stewart Wood, Jr.
IX Bishop of Michigan

The Right Rev. Rayford Ray
Bishop of Northern Michigan

Minnesota
The Right Rev. Brian N. Prior
Bishop of Minnesota

Missouri
The Right Rev. Hays Rockwell
IX Bishop of Missouri

The Right Rev. Martin S. Field
Bishop of West Missouri

Montana
The Right Rev. Charles I. Jones, DD
VIII Bishop of Montana

Navajoland Area Mission
The Right Rev. David E. Bailey
Bishop of Navajoland Area Mission

Nebraska
The Right Rev. Joe Goodwin Burnett
X Bishop of Nebraska

New Hampshire
The Right Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld
Bishop of New Hampshire

The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson
IX Bishop of New Hampshire

New Jersey
The Right Rev. Mark M. Beckwith
Bishop of Newark

The Right Rev. William H. (Chip) Stokes
Bishop of New Jersey

New Mexico
The Right Rev. Dr. Michael Louis Vono
Bishop of the Rio Grande

New York
The Right Rev. Gladstone B. Adams III
Bishop of Central New York

The Right Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano
Bishop of Long Island

The Right Rev. Chilton Knudsen
Assisting Bishop of Long Island
(VII Bishop of Maine)

The Right Rev. Prince G. Singh
Bishop of Rochester

The Right Rev. Jack M. McKelvey
VII Bishop of Rochester

North Carolina
The Right Rev. Michael Bruce Curry
Bishop of North Carolina

The Right Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple
Bishop Suffragan of North Carolina

The Right Rev. J. Gary Gloster
Bishop Suffragan of North Carolina (Ret)

The Right Rev. G. Porter Taylor
Bishop of Western North Carolina

The Right Rev. Robert Johnson
V Bishop of Western North Carolina

North Dakota
The Right Rev. Harold A. Hopkins, Jr.
IX Bishop of North Dakota

Ohio
The Right Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio

The Right Rev. David C. Bowman
Assisting Bishop of Ohio
(IX Bishop of Western New York)

The Right Rev. William D. Persell
Assisting Bishop of Ohio
(XI Bishop of Chicago)

The Right Rev. Arthur B. Williams, Jr.
Bishop Suffragan of Ohio (Ret)

The Right Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal
Bishop of Southern Ohio

Oregon
The Right Rev. Bavi Edna Rivera
Provisional Bishop of Eastern Oregon

The Right Rev. William O. Gregg, Ph.D.
VI Bishop of Eastern Oregon

The Right Rev. Michael J. Hanley
Bishop of Oregon

Pennsylvania
The Right Rev. Robert R. Gepert
Provisional Bishop of Central Pennsylvania

The Right Rev. Nathan D. Baxter
X Bishop of Central Pennsylvania

The Right Rev. Charlie F. McNutt, Jr.
VIII Bishop of Central Pennsylvania

The Right Rev. Clifton Daniel
Bishop of Pennsylvania
(VII Bishop of East Carolina)

The Right Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr.
XV Bishop of Pennsylvania

The Right Rev. Allen Bartlett
XIV Bishop of Pennsylvania

The Right Rev. Rodney R. Michel
Assisting Bishop of Pennsylvania
(Bishop Suffragan of Long Island (Ret))

The Right Rev. Edward L. Lee, Jr.
Assisting Bishop of Pennsylvania
(VII Bishop of Western Michigan)

Rhode Island
The Right Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely
Bishop of Rhode Island

South Carolina
The Right Rev. W. Andrew Waldo
Bishop of Upper South Carolina

Tennessee
The Right Rev. George D. Young, III
Bishop of East Tennessee

The Right Rev. Don E. Johnson
Bishop of West Tennessee

The Right Rev. James M. Coleman
II Bishop of West Tennessee

Texas
The Right Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr.
Provisional Bishop of Fort Worth

The Right Rev. J. Scott Mayer
Bishop of Northwest Texas

The Right Rev. C. Andrew Doyle
Bishop of Texas

Vermont
The Right Rev. Thomas C. Ely
Bishop of Vermont

Virginia
The Right Rev. Frank Neff Powell
V Bishop of Southwestern Virginia

The Right Rev. Susan E. Goff
Bishop Suffragan of Virginia

Washington
The Right Rev. Gregory H. Rickel
Bishop of Olympia

The Right Rev. Sanford Z. K. Hampton
Assisting Bishop of Olympia

The Right Rev. James E. Waggoner, Jr.
Bishop of Spokane

West Virginia
The Right Rev. William Klusmeyer
Bishop of West Virginia

Wyoming
The Right Rev. Bob G. Jones
VII Bishop of Wyoming

Europe
The Right Rev. Pierre W. Whalon
Bishop of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe

Haiti
The Right Rev. Jean Zache Duracin
Bishop of Haiti

For more information contact Katherine S. Conway, Immigration and Refugee Policy Anaylst, kconway@episcopalchurch.org