Deacons, partnering with Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens, help recent immigrants navigate the U.S. immigration system, obtain work permits, and apply for political asylum.

Deacons, partnering with Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens, help recent immigrants navigate the U.S. immigration system, obtain work permits, and apply for political asylum.
Amid increasing anti-immigrant rhetoric and sentiment, the Catholic Church must remain vocal in its ministry to and advocacy for migrants, Catholic leaders said at a Dec. 21 panel.
Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, signed an immigration bill into law Dec. 18 that makes it a state crime for unauthorized migrants to cross into Texas from Mexico. Catholic organizations including the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops have opposed the legislation.
Costa Rica has declared a state of emergency due to the unprecedented flow of migrants transiting the Central American country — a plan Catholic relief officials described as coming after a slow response to the growing “humanitarian crisis.”
Eliminating the root causes of forced migration means ensuring everyone has an equal share in the common good, their fundamental rights are respected and their lives can flourish through integral human development, Pope Francis said.
Two years into President Joe Biden’s term, Catholic immigration leaders wonder what happened to his campaign trail pledge to create a more fair and humane immigration system. They say while some positive steps have been taken, the administration has been slow to act, increasingly political, and reliant on recycled ineffective policies.
As Title 42 draws to its scheduled close, House Republicans are planning to vote on border security legislation criticized by the U.S. bishops.
With the U.S. House of Representatives set to vote on sweeping immigration legislation this week, the U.S. bishops’ conference migration committee chair has urged legislators to oppose it, deeming it incompatible with Catholic social teaching and the nation’s commitment to humanitarian protection.
The Biden administration announced April 27 new steps it would take in an effort to reduce migrant arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border when Title 42 expires in May.
With changes in U.S.-Mexico border policies on the horizon, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso acknowledged on April 24 that uncertainty remains around what will happen, but a “significant” migration surge is likely, and help is welcome.