JFI Colleagues,

Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.

U.S. Bishops' Migration Chairman Praises New Family Immigration Reunification Program 

On July 7th, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the implementation of new family reunification parole (FRP) processes for nationals of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. These new processes are part of the Administration’s plan to manage regional migration, first announced in April ahead of the termination of the Title 42 public-health policy. Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso and chairman of the US Catholic Bishop's Committee on Migration appreciates the "effort to provide a realistic opportunity for attaining family unity and reunification" yet cautions that "backlogs continue to pose untenable challenges for aspiring immigrants who seek to avail themselves of the limited legal pathways."

Pope Francis Calls for Solidarity with Migrants on the Tenth Anniversary of His Lampedusa Visit 

In a July 7th letter to Archbishop Alessandro Damiano of Agrigento, Sicily, who heads the archdiocese which covers the Italian island of Lampedusa, Pope Francis remembered his visit to the island on July 8, 2013, when he celebrated Mass in solidarity with migrants attempting to reach Europe by boat. The Holy Father decried the “silent massacres” of migrants who have drowned in the Mediterranean since then, where more than 14,000 have died since 2014. 

JFI Action Alerts 

JFI has launched two action alerts, one for the Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act (PVIYA) and another for the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA). In the last two weeks, Bishop Seitz sent letters on behalf of the USCCB in support of the AAA and PVIYA. The links for the action alerts are: 

Stand in Solidarity with Our Afghan Neighbors  

Please Safeguard Children and Ensure Access to Religious Workers 

Please send the action alerts to your national networks and ask your advocates to send advocacy messages to their U.S. Senators and Representatives.



Policy Update / Actualización de Política

We are thankful to the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) for its weekly Migration Update. Please visit their bilingual Migration Update page to stay up-to-date on recent migration policy updates.

View the July 19 CMS Migration Update, which includes: 

• DHS Announces New Family Reunification Parole Process for Certain Nationalities 
• Afghan Adjustment Act Reintroduced In Congress On a Bipartisan Basis  

Agradecemos al Centro de Estudios de Migración de Nueva York (CMS por sus siglas en inglés) por su Actualización de Migración semanal. Visite su página bilingüe de Actualización de Migración para mantenerse al día sobre las actualizaciones recientes de la política de migración.

Ver la Actualización de Migración del CMS del 21 de julio, que incluye: 

• DHS anuncia nuevo proceso de libertad condicional de reunificación familiar para ciertas nacionalidades 
• La Ley de Ajuste Afgano ha sido reintroducida en el Congreso sobre una base bipartidista 

Registration is open for this webinar on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific.

Other Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and Resources

• Creighton University and Catholic Climate Covenant Conference: Laudato Si’ and the U.S. Catholic Church: Response to the Cry of the Earth, July 25, 2023 at 7 PM Central. The 2023 convening will be virtual and registration is still open.

• Hope Border Institute Opportunity: Root Causes Internship. The Hope Border Institute seeks highly-motivated university students (graduate students and highly motivated undergraduates) committed to social justice for its internship program. We bring the perspective of Catholic social teaching to bear on the realities unique to our U.S.-Mexico border region. Through a robust program of research and policy work, leadership development and action, we work to build justice and deepen solidarity across the borderlands. Root causes interns will meaningfully contribute to our work to address the root causes of migration in Central America. Visit our internship page for more information and to apply.

• Catholic Charities of Dallas Opportunity: Parish and Community Relations Internship. This internship will allow you to develop personal, professional, and technical skills which you can take with you into the social service job market. Your internship at Catholic Charities Dallas will allow you to serve others and develop yourself in a professional, constantly growing environment. Apply on our website.

In solidarity,

Tony Cube

Visit the JFI website to learn about us, read policy recommendations and letters to Congress, find materials for your parish, get advocacy resources, access previously recorded webinars, and more! Send us an email to get connected.