Boston, Mass. (June 25, 2026) – The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) condemns the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Noem vs. Al Otro Lado case regarding the “turnback” policy at the Mexico border, which impacts the U.S. asylum system.

“People who leave home seeking asylum and protected status in our country are among the most vulnerable in the world. Our faith compels us to practice the spiritual disciplines of hospitality and solidarity,” said the Rev. Ashley Horan, Vice President for Programs and Ministries, at the UUA. “Today’s ruling puts innumerable lives in peril and denies the interdependent reality that transcends borders and boundaries. Our moral and religious commitments are unshakable. Immigrants are people with inherent worthiness and dignity, and Unitarian Universalists will continue to rise in solidarity with our immigrant and refugee neighbors within and beyond our national borders.”

In February 2026, the UUA joined an amicus brief organized by The Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice on behalf of religious organizations that support maintaining a strong asylum system in this country.

The UU position is detailed in the brief:

At the heart of the Unitarian Universalist covenantal faith tradition are the mutual commitments members and congregations make to one another to live out shared religious values, including that “every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.” Unitarian Universalist Bylaws, Art. II., Sec. C-2.2. These commitments compel Unitarian Universalists to act for justice and protect human rights. Since the early 1960s, Unitarian Universalists have resolved to offer sanctuary for refugees, end inhumane raids and unjust deportation, and “protect and assist immigrants and asylum seekers in their attempts to lawfully enter and/or remain in the United States.” Action of Immediate Witness: Protect the Rights of Immigrants and Asylum Seekers (2019).

On June 26th, 2026, the UUA signed a multi-faith letter authored by Kairos Center which reads, in part, “We lament these rulings and the precipitous decline in the integrity of our democratic institutions and systems of governance. We grieve the unnecessary pain and suffering they will wreak on our immigrant neighbors and loved ones. And, alongside our faith partners and communities across the country, we remain resolute in our sacred commitment to welcome and protect the stranger, feed the hungry, heal the sick, and free the captive, recognizing that we are all deserving of divine grace. From this, there is no turning back.”

About the UUA

The UUA is the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. Our faith is diverse and inclusive and the UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to shared values and principles that hold closely the worthiness and dignity of each person as sacred, the need for justice and compassion, the right of conscience, and respect for the interdependent nature of all existence.