Bishop Mariann Budde, who made headlines for criticizing former President Donald Trump during an inaugural prayer service, has been found to have secured $53 million in taxpayer funds through her organization, Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM).
Budde, a vocal advocate for immigration and LGBTQ rights, used her platform during the 2017 inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral to call on Trump to show compassion for vulnerable communities.
She specifically urged him to consider the fears of undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ individuals, highlighting the struggles faced by families facing deportation.
However, recent reports reveal that while advocating for these causes, EMM, the federal contracting arm of her church, has been profiting significantly from government-funded migrant resettlement programs.
In 2023 alone, EMM received $53 million to resettle 3,600 individuals, according to The New York Post. By 2024, the organization had expanded its efforts, bringing in 6,400 individuals from 48 countries, including refugees from Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Trump responded to Budde’s past criticisms with a scathing post on Truth Social, condemning her remarks as partisan and divisive. He accused her of failing to acknowledge crimes committed by undocumented immigrants and described the prayer service as “boring