The Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is home to one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in the Adventist world. Our churches worship in more than 20 languages, and our schools reflect the multicultural fabric of the neighborhoods they serve. This diversity is not a challenge to be solved but a gift to be celebrated—a visible testimony to the vision of Revelation 7:9, where a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language stands before the throne of God.
The officers of the Southern California Conference, in consideration of the current shifting immigration enforcement policies affecting our region that no longer treat churches and schools as “sensitive locations,” affirm the dignity of every human being and express deep concern for the fear, instability, and hardship these changes are causing among the families, churches, and schools we serve. We stand with the North American Division’s “Appeal for Human Dignity and Decency” affirming that dehumanization through exclusion or fear contradicts biblical teaching (see Fundamental Belief No. 14).
We align ourselves with the official statement of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, which affirms that as Christians we must stand in defense of those who are mistreated, marginalized, and cast aside. We echo that conviction and believe no one should be afraid to worship, learn, or seek solace in our institutions because of their immigration status.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are compelled by both Scripture and conscience to speak with clarity and compassion on behalf of the vulnerable, including immigrants and refugees, regardless of their legal status. The Bible is unambiguous in its call to care for the foreigner among us. The Lord says in Leviticus 19:34, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Jesus Himself identifies with the marginalized in Matthew 25:35, “I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” We believe that to love and welcome the immigrant is not merely a political matter but a deeply spiritual one—an extension of the gospel itself.
We recognize that the current sweeping immigration practices have sown fear within our communities and caused disruption to the mission of our churches and schools. These policies have directly impacted our students, our members, our teachers, our pastors, and our neighbors—many of whom are here seeking safety, opportunity, and a better life for their children.
We cannot be silent when policies threaten the wholeness of our communities or when families are torn apart in our neighborhoods. We remain committed to creating spaces—whether in the classroom, the sanctuary, or the fellowship hall—where all feel safe, valued, and free to worship and grow without fear. We encourage our members to advocate for just and compassionate policies that honor both the rule of law and the sacredness of human life.
In everything we do, we seek to exalt Christ by cultivating healthy churches and schools. This mission calls us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). As a conference, we will continue to support our immigrant brothers and sisters, to speak against injustice, and to stand as a witness to the transforming love of Jesus in an often-divided world.
We call on all our pastors, educators, and members to embody the welcoming spirit of the gospel and to be agents of peace, hope, and healing in their communities. We are one body in Christ—diverse, united, and rooted in love.
