JFI Biweekly Review: March 25-April 5, 2024 JFI Colleagues, Please see below for the latest updates from JFI including action alerts, webinars, policy update, and upcoming events. Congress Finalizes Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations On March 23, 2024, Congress finally completed and the President signed into law the remaining six appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, which began on October 1, 2023. This package included funding for agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Work on FY 2025 appropriations is already underway. The USCCB, including its Committee on Migration and Department of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), continues to advocate for funding levels that result in access to durable lawful pathways for those seeking family reunification and employment opportunities in the United States, streamlined legal employment authorization for newcomers, positive improvements to the asylum system with an emphasis on backlog reduction and more timely adjudication of cases, and a thriving Refugee Admissions Program. Watch a recording of the recent JFI webinar on the FY 2024 appropriations and legislative priorities of USCCB/MRS, Catholic Charities USA, and Catholic Relief Services presented by staff from the respective organizations. Movie Discussion Guide: Cabrini The recently released movie, Cabrini, has taken off as a popular, “must see” film in many Catholic circles. It tells the story of Mother Cabrini, her move to New York, and the challenges that she faced trying to minister to immigrants arriving in the region. JFI has recently developed a discussion guide for the film, which can provide some background and questions that can help individuals or groups reflect on the film. Please feel free to use and to distribute to friends, families, and colleagues who are interested in watching the movie. Photo credit: The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Thanks to St. Frances Cabrini Collection, Holy Spirit Library, Cabrini University) LAST CALL! Spring 2024 Immigration Conference in Washington, DC Registration for the event closes on Sunday April 7 at 5:00 PM! 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 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, which will focus on religious worker visas, will be available soon! 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. RCUSA Advocacy Days Refugee Council USA will be hosting their annual national Advocacy Days May 7–8. This is an opportunity for community members, faith leaders, advocates, resettlement staff, and others to gather in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the protection of forcibly displaced people. Participants will not only meet with their members of Congress but will also be able to attend training sessions to help build and expand their advocacy toolbelt. Attendees who have personally experienced forced displacement are invited for a special day-long training on Monday, May 6, and some scholarships are available for these participants. More information about Advocacy Days, the opportunities, and its goals can be found through the concept note. Please register here! Welcome Wednesday Series For #welcomewednesday, Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocesee of El Paso discusses the Church's teaching on borders and the US border today: [link removed] 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.  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 27 CMS Migration Update, which includes: Congress Approves 12,000 Additional Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans DHS Extends and Re-Designates Temporary Protected Status for Myanmar United States Pledges $47 Million in Additional Humanitarian Aid to Care for Sudanese Refugees 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 27 de marzo, que incluye: El Congreso aprueba 12,000 Visas Especiales de Inmigrante adicionales para afganos El DHS extiende y re-designa el estatus de protección temporal para Myanmar Estados Unidos promete $47 millones en ayuda humanitaria adicional para atender a los refugiados sudaneses Migration-Related Stories, Op-Eds and Interviews by Catholic Bishops, and Catholic Agency Executives Kevin Appleby, Senior Fellow - Center for Migration Studies of New: York: The U.S. is at a crossroads on immigration. What should the Catholic Church do next? Notable New Publications, Reports, Resources, Articles, Etc. National Immigration Forum: Still More Room to Grow: Immigrants Can Reverse the U.S. Population Decline and its Economic Consequences In 2024, the United States continues to face significant demographic challenges. Propelled by falling birth rates, the U.S. population is rapidly aging and population growth is steadily declining. In turn, the country is experiencing economic and social pressures caused by labor shortages. This article provides a follow-up to "Room to Grow," a 2021 white paper where the National Immigration Forum proposed a methodology that showed that the country needed a 37% increase in net immigration levels over those projected for fiscal year 2020 (approximately 370,000 additional immigrants a year) to prevent the U.S. from falling into demographic deficit and socioeconomic decline. PolitiFact: Migrants in parole program do not receive free flights to the U.S. Other Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and Services Anti-Trafficking Prayer Service (Virtual), April 8, 2024 at 2 PM Eastern. The perils and risks faced by those who work at sea include physical danger as well as human trafficking. The experiences of sea workers will be the focus of the next St. Josephine Bakhita Prayer Service on Monday, April 8th on Zoom. Franciscan Action Network (FAN) Online Workshop: Awakening to Environmental Justice, April 9, 2024 at 4 PM Eastern. Secular Franciscan and FAN supporter Carolyn Townes will join us to offer best practices when reaching out to activist groups and communities in your area, providing the skills needed to make respectful, non-tokenizing connections. We will also offer a short, voluntary help session for 30 minutes after this second workshop to troubleshoot any questions you may have encountered in your research. Please register today. Georgetown University – Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life: How Will Young People Shape the 2024 Election and the Election Shape Our Future, April 9, 2024 at 7 PM Eastern. Young people, especially young people of faith, may be decisive in the November 2024 U.S. presidential election. Many young people are both engaged and disillusioned, angry and fearful, involved and alienated. Who participates in the election and what we decide will shape our lives and nation for decades. As the country faces enormous challenges, this gathering will explore how young Catholics can make a difference by acting in light of their faith in this election year. Join us in-person or via livestream. National Advocacy Center (NAC) of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd Webinar: Work as a Solution to Prevent Human Trafficking, April 17, 2024 at 12:30 PM Eastern. Please join the Alliance to End Human Trafficking and NAC of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd for our third webinar, “Breaking the Link: Work Authorization for Asylum Seekers Protects them from Trafficking.” Asylum seekers in the U.S. are at risk of sex and labor trafficking when not allowed to find legal work and provide for their families. This webinar will focus on passing H.R. 1325, the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act and how we can encourage Congress to fix this vulnerability. Register today! In solidarity, 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!