Immigration Justice
“When strangers sojourn with you in your land, you shall do them no wrong, the strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as natives among you, and you love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)
“Faith in the presence of Christ in the migrant leads to a conversion of mind and heart, which leads to a renewed spirit of communion and to the building of structures of solidarity to accompany the migrant.” (Pastoral Letter Strangers No Longer, p. 19)
The work for immigration justice goes hand and hand with the work for political participation and economic justice. The Catholic Church, together with many other institutions of faith, Christians or non-Christian, and a myriad of immigrant advocacy organizations throughout the nation, agree that the immigration system, that is, the laws that regulate the immigration process to the United States, is broken and defective, thus creating injustice to the migrant, specially the poor. Political participation through legislative advocacy is the way to change these laws to correct their defects and ensure respect and justice to those immigrating to the US. While the legal change does not take place, immigrants are vulnerable to a variety of economic injustices that affect their ability to better themselves in a manner that respects and promotes their human dignity and human rights.
The Catholic Church in the United States has been involved in the immigration issue and the protection of immigrants from its beginning, as the Catholic Church in this country is basically a Church of immigrants. More recently, the Catholic Church through its episcopal conference, USCCB, has initiated the work for immigration reform with the launching of the “Justice for Immigrants Campaign” in 2005.
The Justice for Immigrants Campaign call every Catholic faithful, parish community, diocese, and any person of good will to pray, become aware, informed, and educated on the issue – on what legislation says, economics says, social sciences say, and what the principles and traditions of one’s faith say – to be active in advocating and organizing for change, more specifically for comprehensive immigration reform, and to serve the migrant.
The Diocese of El Paso has been active in the work of justice for the immigrants through its tireless service provided by its Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Service, DMRS, for over 20 years and also, through its campaign “Justice for Immigrants” since 2006. The Campaign has coordinated legislative visits, post cards campaigns, supported local organizing, collaborated with organizations such as BNHR and Annunciation House, and organized the annual “Migrant Way of the Cross” up Mount Cristo Rey during Lent and the annual “Border Mass” on the border fence between Mexico and the US, always on November 2nd. In 2010, it has sponsored an Interfaith Immigration Summit and more recently, it has begun reorganizing a Migrant Posada.
“Faith in the presence of Christ in the migrant leads to a conversion of mind and heart, which leads to a renewed spirit of communion and to the building of structures of solidarity to accompany the migrant.” (Pastoral Letter Strangers No Longer, p. 19)
The work for immigration justice goes hand and hand with the work for political participation and economic justice. The Catholic Church, together with many other institutions of faith, Christians or non-Christian, and a myriad of immigrant advocacy organizations throughout the nation, agree that the immigration system, that is, the laws that regulate the immigration process to the United States, is broken and defective, thus creating injustice to the migrant, specially the poor. Political participation through legislative advocacy is the way to change these laws to correct their defects and ensure respect and justice to those immigrating to the US. While the legal change does not take place, immigrants are vulnerable to a variety of economic injustices that affect their ability to better themselves in a manner that respects and promotes their human dignity and human rights.
The Catholic Church in the United States has been involved in the immigration issue and the protection of immigrants from its beginning, as the Catholic Church in this country is basically a Church of immigrants. More recently, the Catholic Church through its episcopal conference, USCCB, has initiated the work for immigration reform with the launching of the “Justice for Immigrants Campaign” in 2005.
The Justice for Immigrants Campaign call every Catholic faithful, parish community, diocese, and any person of good will to pray, become aware, informed, and educated on the issue – on what legislation says, economics says, social sciences say, and what the principles and traditions of one’s faith say – to be active in advocating and organizing for change, more specifically for comprehensive immigration reform, and to serve the migrant.
The Diocese of El Paso has been active in the work of justice for the immigrants through its tireless service provided by its Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Service, DMRS, for over 20 years and also, through its campaign “Justice for Immigrants” since 2006. The Campaign has coordinated legislative visits, post cards campaigns, supported local organizing, collaborated with organizations such as BNHR and Annunciation House, and organized the annual “Migrant Way of the Cross” up Mount Cristo Rey during Lent and the annual “Border Mass” on the border fence between Mexico and the US, always on November 2nd. In 2010, it has sponsored an Interfaith Immigration Summit and more recently, it has begun reorganizing a Migrant Posada.