Sanctuary Church

Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food? When was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you? Or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick?”

When asylum seekers are apprehended by Border Patrol and ICE agents and forced onto buses to NYC.

Each day, 100 or more people seeking safety and sanctuary in our country are arriving at Port Authority from Texas. They have no food and no housing. Most have only the clothes on their backs. Many have experienced violence and abuse along the journey. They have medical needs that have been not been attended to.

When they arrive here in our city of immigrants, they are faced with a hostile shelter system and an already existing housing crisis.

For weeks, mutual aid groups like South Bronx Mutual Aid have been working around the clock to address this humanitarian crisis, proving what has become a de facto refugee resettlement program.

In August 2022, 75 faith groups in NYC got together to hear from the mutual aid groups about what we can do to immediately support the asylum seekers.

Later that month, St. Paul & St. Andrew offered sanctuary to five young men who have been waiting for a bed to open up in a city shelter.  They were exhausted and overwhelmed, but they are incredibly grateful and overjoyed at the hospitality and welcome extended already.