The Trump administration has issued a 90-day suspension of U.S. foreign assistance programs, halting critical funding that provides lifesaving services to people in need worldwide. This funding freeze, paired with a government-issued “stop-work order,” has created confusion, disruption, and even program terminations, despite Congress having already approved these funds.

This suspension directly affects global health, refugee resettlement, food security, and disaster response programs, including initiatives supported by the ELCA and its partners. While a few programs have been granted waivers, money is not flowing as needed, leaving vulnerable populations at risk.

Programs currently impacted include:

• Global Health & HIV Care: The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has stopped providing care and lifesaving medicine to over 20 million people, including millions of children born to HIV-positive mothers. Some PEPFAR programs are implemented by ELCA companion churches.

• Refugee Resettlement: The State Department’s Reception and Placement Program (R&P), which supports newly arrived refugees—including Afghans who supported the U.S. military—has been suspended. This program provides essential housing, food, and employment assistance through partners like Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service).

• Disaster & Food Security Response: The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSN) and SERVIR (a satellite-based disaster monitoring program)—both vital for famine and climate disaster prediction—are now at risk.

• Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH): The Lutheran World Federation’s AVH in East Jerusalem, which serves nearly 20,000 patients, has seen funding disruptions despite being approved by Congress. This threatens critical cancer and kidney care services in the region.

As Lutherans, we believe in caring for the most vulnerable, and our social statement For Peace in God’s World reminds us of our nation’s responsibility to contribute to the well-being of poorer nations through effective economic assistance.

Take action today. Ask your members of Congress to call for an end to the U.S. foreign assistance freeze. Visit the ELCA Action Center to send a customized message to your legislators.

Together, we can ensure that these vital programs continue serving those in need.