An Important Message from Dean Churchwell about Escalating Immigration Enforcement

Author:
January 14, 2026

Beloveds,

Below you will find a letter from our bishop, Bishop Poulson, addressing the escalating immigration enforcement actions across our nation and here in Oklahoma.

I am grateful for his clear pastoral call to prayer, compassion, and faithful action in a moment that carries fear and uncertainty for many.

I write to add my voice as your dean and pastor.

Last week in Minneapolis, a United States citizen, 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Her death has shaken not only the Minneapolis community, but people across the country who are struggling to understand what it means to live in a nation where fear and violence touch everyday life. (Episcopal News Service)

At St. Paul’s Cathedral, we are formed by baptismal promises to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being. These promises matter especially in moments like this when questions of law, human dignity, safety, and compassion converge and press deeply on our hearts.

For some in our community, this is not an abstract moment. It is fear for loved ones, anxiety about daily routines, and the lived experience of being made to feel unsafe in a place that should be home. If that is true for you or someone you love, hear this clearly. You belong here. You are not alone. This Cathedral is your spiritual home.

At the same time, our faith calls us to resist cruelty and to speak against systems that inflict harm on our neighbors. We can acknowledge the complex role of enforcement authorities and still insist that justice, not fear, be the guiding principle in how power is exercised.

In response to the death in Minneapolis and the many affected by immigration enforcement, Episcopalians and faith partners gathered online for a prayer vigil the evening of January 13 in partnership with Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and the Episcopal Church in Minnesota. This vigil offered space to mourn those who have died due to immigration enforcement or while in detention, as well as to seek grounding in Christ as the Church continues to witness to and work toward God’s love and justice for the world. We encourage each of you to continue praying. 

St. Paul’s continues to be a place of prayer, accompaniment, and refuge. If you or someone you love is directly affected and needs pastoral support, please reach out to any member of our clergy. We will walk with you.

We live in what the Prayer Book calls the “day of trouble.” Even so, we trust that God is present. Christ walks among the fearful and the weary, and the Spirit continues to call us toward courage, compassion, and faithfulness.

May we be a people who choose love over fear.

Faithfully,
The Very Reverend Katie Churchwell
15th Dean of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral

Statement from Bishop Poulson on Supporting Our Immigrant Neighbors

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