JFI Biweekly Review: February 26 - March 8, 2024 JFI Colleagues, Please see below for the latest updates from JFI including action alerts, webinars, policy update, and upcoming events. Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty: Freedom to Meet Migrants’ Basic Human Needs Must be Preserved Bishop Rhoades expressed solidarity with faith-driven ministries to migrants and noted the special need to protect religious liberty. His remarks commended the February 23 statement (see below) issued by the Catholic bishops of the State of Texas. Bishop Rhoades wrote, “It is hard to imagine what our country would look like without the good works that people of faith carry out in the public square. For this, we can thank our strong tradition of religious liberty, which allows us to live out our faith in full.” USCCB’s Migration Chairman and Fellow Catholic Leaders Urge Senate Passage of Anti-Trafficking Bill On March 7, Bishop Mark Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, joined with the executive leaders of Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, and the Catholic Health Association of the United States in sending a letter to every member of the U.S. Senate, encouraging them to take up and pass H.R. 5856. This bill, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023, was passed by the House of Representatives in February with near-unanimous bipartisan support. An almost identical version of the same bill was passed by the House in 2022, also with broad bipartisan support, though the Senate never acted upon it before the end of the 117th Congress. In their letter, Bishop Seitz and the other leader stated “this legislation is critical for continuing and bolstering our nation’s efforts to eradicate human trafficking and assist human trafficking survivors.” Please complete and share JFI’s action alert expressing support to the Senate for H.R. 5856. You can learn more about human trafficking and the Church’s anti-trafficking efforts by reading this explainer and by visiting JFI’s Saint Josephine Bakhita webpage.  Registration is Now Open: Spring 2024 Immigration Conference in Washington, DC Please register for the 2024 spring immigration conference: Responding to Changing Realities at the US Border and Beyond – Catholic Approaches to Migration.  This event is a joint initiative by The Catholic University of America and the USCCB’s Department of Migration and Refugee Services/JFI. It will take place at the Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, DC on April 10 and 11, 2024: law.edu/immigration There is no charge for the conference; we only ask that you register so we can get an accurate head count. You can also use the QR code in the flyer below to register:   Problem Areas in Immigration Series We are excited to unveil a series that delves into the critical issues of migration, a subject that resonates deeply with the Catholic Church for both institutional and moral reasons. Migration, with its complex and multifaceted nature, demands our attention and calls for a nuanced understanding. This initiative isn’t about offering comprehensive solutions; instead, it aims to shed light on specific challenges within the U.S. immigration system and the issue of migration generally that warrant a closer look. The first installment will be issued on April 1. For those who have friends and colleagues not on the listserv but who might be interested in this series, please send them to the JFI website for more information. JFI Webinar: Immigration and Refugee Legislation in the 2024 Congress March 27, 2024 at 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific Register for the webinar This is a U.S. presidential election year and, as of now, we kicked the can down the road on another FY funding package due in large part to disagreement in Congress on immigration and border funding. On this webinar, hear from government relations experts from Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services and USCCB/Migration & Refugee Services as they discuss the legislative outlook in Congress this year for immigration, refugee and border legislation and funding. Coalition of Organizations and Ministries Promoting the Abolition of Slavery at Sea (COMPASS) Maritime trafficking is modern slavery at sea, a violation of the human dignity of laborers at all stages of the seafood supply chain and aquaculture industries. The virtually unregulated fishing industry in many countries, coupled with the global demand for cheap seafood, create the lawless conditions under which trafficking at sea flourishes. COMPASS is an initiative that seeks to strengthen the coordination, collaboration, and capacity of the worldwide Catholic response to maritime trafficking, especially in its ministries at sea and ports. Please download our COMPASS toolkit to learn more about the work that we do and how you can help further it. Lenten Postcard Campaign Against Maritime Trafficking During Lent, many Catholics eat fish and abstain from meat to be in greater solidarity with those in need. As part of its Lenten Campaign, COMPASS urges companies to “slave proof” their supply chains to ensure that the seafood that we eat is not sullied by slave labor and other forms of exploitation. Please join us in our Lenten postcard campaign urging companies to eliminate slavery in their supply chains. Send them a postcard and make your voice heard. Civilize It: Our Catholic Response in a Polarized World In a polarized climate that threatens the unity of the Body of Christ and distances us from our brothers and sisters, how is the Church called to respond? Join us virtually on March 20, 2024 at 4 PM Eastern to reflect on the challenge of polarization and on tools from our Catholic tradition that can help us heal Church and society. Gloria Purvis, renowned Catholic speaker and host of The Gloria Purvis Podcast from America Magazine, will moderate the conversation. Panelists include: Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, and Rev. Aaron Wessman, G.H.M., author of The Church's Mission in a Polarized World. This virtual event is co-sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Charities USA, Glenmary Home Missioners, and the Jesuit Conference. Register here or watch the livestream here. 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 March 5 CMS Migration Update, which includes: Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Texas Immigration Law Proposed Compromise Bill on the Border Fails to Gain Traction in the House, but House Speaker Johnson Signals Willingness to Consider a Compromise Biden Administration Grants Deferred Enforced Departure to Palestinians View the February 27 CMS Migration Update, which includes: Biden Administration Plans to Issue Executive Actions Restricting Asylum U.S. State Department Issues New Visa Restrictions on Companies Transporting Undocumented Immigrants to the United States U.S. Government Study Shows Positive Contributions of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers to the US Economy 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 5 de marzo, que incluye: La Corte Suprema bloquea temporalmente la ley de inmigración de Texas El proyecto de ley de compromiso sobre la frontera no logra ganar terreno en la Cámara, pero el presidente de la Cámara, Johnson, indica su voluntad de considerar un compromiso La administración Biden concede la salida forzosa diferida a los palestinos Ver la Actualización de Migración del CMS del 27 de febrero, que incluye: La administración de Biden planea emitir acciones ejecutivas que restrinjan el asilo El Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. emite nuevas restricciones de visas para empresas que transportan inmigrantes indocumentados a Estados Unidos Un estudio del gobierno de EE. UU. muestra contribuciones positivas de los refugiados y solicitantes de asilo a la economía estadounidense Migration-Related Stories, Op-Eds and Interviews by Catholic Bishops, and Catholic Agency Executives Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops: Support of people of faith serving on the border California Catholic Conference: California Bishops Voice Support for Texas Bishops and Annunciation House Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati: Letter to the Faithful Regarding Migrants and Refugees Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio of the Diocese of Brooklyn: Politicization of migration policy is causing a migrant standstill Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of New York, on “Inside City Hall” (video) discusses assisting migrants in NYC Notable New Publications, Reports, Resources, Articles, Etc. Kino Border Initiative (KBI) Co-authored Report: From Hope To Heartbreak: The Disturbing Reality of Border Patrol’s Confiscation of Migrants’ Belongings In this report, KBI and other organizations document the U.S. Border Patrol’s practice of confiscating migrants’ essential belongings and urge CBP to heighten standards for the treatment of personal property. Archdiocese of Chicago - National Pastoral Migratoria: Lenten Calendar 2024 National Pastoral Migratoria invites you to participate in a Lenten journey of faith, reflection, and action. As you recall the steps and agony of Jesus in the desert you are invited to see the suffering face of Christ in immigrants and refugees. Please use and share this Lenten calendar as a guide for reflection and action as we continue the 18-year journey for immigration reform. Congressional Research Service: Presidential Authority to Suspend Entry of Aliens Under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f) This legal sidebar explores the president's authority to suspend certain people's entries and departures historically and today, with a detailed list of examples where the U.S. code was invoked between 1980 and 2024 to restrict migration. Refugee Council USA: U.S. Refugee Admissions – Oct.-Dec. 2023 National Immigration Forum: Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act: Bill Summary A group of Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act (H.R. 7372) on February 15, 2024. This legislative package includes changes to border security policies and the asylum process in the U.S., along with $66.32 billion in national security spending. Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) Too Few Immigration Attorneys: Average Representation Rates Fall from 65% to 30% Immigration Court Backlog Tops 3 Million; Each Judge Assigned 4,500 Cases Other Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and Services Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW): Farmworker Freedom Festival, March 8-10, 2024 in Palm Beach, FL. Join our 3-day celebration of farmworker culture and fundamental human rights featuring the CIW’s mobile Modern-day Slavery Museum, a benefit concert, and original theater and art, including a two-story tall farmworker puppet named Esperanza giving voice to the country’s 1.5 million farmworkers in their ongoing fight for fundamental human rights. See our website for more information. Center for Migration Studies of New York webinar: Analyzing the 2022 Undocumented Population Increase in the United States, March 15, 2024 at 1 PM Eastern. On this webinar, presenters Robert Warren and Don Kerwin will present findings on the current undocumented population in the U.S. through data collected in the American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Advance registration is required. Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center (Seattle): Creation Care Network Summit, March 16, 2024 at 9-4 PM Pacific. All are welcome to join the Creation Care Network for its annual environmental justice summit. We will gather to pray, learn, and discern our collective commitment to ecological justice. The day will include Mass with Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle. See the agenda and register today. Beatitudes Center Zoom Event: Pope Francis’ Latest Teachings on Peace, War & Climate Change with Marie Dennis, March 23, 2024 at 11 AM Pacific. Recently, Pope Francis published a new book, Against War: Building a Culture of Peace, which gathers all his statements calling for peaceful alternatives to war and the pursuit of a new culture of nonviolence. He also issued a follow-up to his historic encyclical on the environment, Laudate Deum. Join Pax Christi leader, teacher and author Marie Dennis who will outline these latest developments and teachings and how we might help promote Pope Francis’ work for peace and creation. Register today. Lenten blessings, Tony Cube Stay Connected 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.   USCCB | 3211 Fourth Street NE, Washington, DC 20017 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!