Trumps favorite Bishop

Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde’s sermon to President Trump during an inaugural prayer service, coupled with her church’s advocacy for humanitarian immigration programs, reveals a striking hypocrisy — one that could be seen as self-serving and even a conflict of interest.

That’s because the federal contracting arm of the church, Episcopal Migration Ministry (EMM), is paid to bring in people on resettlement programs that Trump has temporarily paused and targeted for re-evaluation.

EMM budget figures for 2024 are not available yet, but in 2023 it earned $53 million from various taxpayer-funded government programs to resettle 3,600 individuals

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DogMan · 61-69, M

EMM brings in LGBTQ refugees and asylees in a special federal refugee program started during the Obama administration called “Preferred Communities.”

This program pays a premium over standard refugee resettlement for contractors that resettle “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.”

DogMan · 61-69, M

Unlike everyday immigrants, these new arrivals receive government assistance and, most importantly, are immediately eligible for all forms of welfare, such as Medicaid and cash assistance, on the same basis as a US citizen.

Further, they can immediately sponsor friends and relatives under a recent Biden expansion of the refugee resettlement program.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement was projecting 656,500 new arrivals in 2025, who would fall under its care. Clearly this is a program wildly out of control

akindheart · 61-69, F

yep and guess what? i bet it is going to get cut too

DogMan · 61-69, M

53 million in 2023. I can only imagine what the 2024 numbers are.

LeopoldBloom · M

Would you say the same thing if her sermon had been a condemnation of gay rights and abortion? If her church received government grants for services to unwed mothers.

Of course not, you be recommending her for a cabinet position.

NativePortlander1970

This news broke about three weeks ago.

DogMan · 61-69, M

@NativePortlander1970 I just heard about it. Was it too late to post? I did not know
we had time restrictions.

I did hear about the sermon a few weeks ago, where she attacked Trump.

But I didn't know about her side gig.

NativePortlander1970

@DogMan Just letting You know so that you won't have to wonder if You don't get many reactions or comments.

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