Since federal agents began detaining immigrants at U.S. immigration courts across the country, Sister Leticia Gutiérrez Valderrama has devoted her time to accompanying those affected in El Paso, Texas, reports Rhina Guidos of the National Catholic Reporter. 

“[A]bove all, I recognize that when I accompany someone, when I defend someone, when I am with them, I am with the Lord Jesus himself, present in each and every one of my sisters and brothers, the Lord Jesus is there,"Gutiérrez Valderrama said. "That is a really great, really strong force for me." 

Elsewhere, hundreds of Catholics came together in Washington, D.C., to celebrate their faith’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees yesterday. The day included an impassioned homily by Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, D.C., questioning current immigration enforcement, reports Kevin Clarke of America Magazine.  

Cardinal McElroy encouraged citizens to speak up for their neighbors: “As a church, we must console and peacefully stand in solidarity with the undocumented men and women whose lives are being upended ....” 

Meanwhile, in response to the shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas last week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the deployment of agents from the Department of Justice to immigration facilities around the country, reports Jasper Ward of Reuters. 

The Forum is hosting our annual Leading the Way convening today and tomorrow, and we’ll be back in your inboxes Wednesday. Welcome to Monday’s edition. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s VP of strategic communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Masooma Amin, Jillian Clark and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

In the Courts 

Immigration Enforcement 

Immigrant Workers and Contributions 

Thanks for reading,  

Dan