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"Let us pray for reconciliation where there is division, for justice where there are violations of fundamental rights, and for consolation for all who feel overwhelmed by fear or loss.”
–Archbishop Paul S. Coakley,
President of the USCCB, January 28, 2026
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A note from William Canny, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Migration:
What many have known as the USCCB’s Department of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) for the last 60 years will now be referred to as the Secretariat of Migration, a change that better aligns our structure with that of other departments within the Conference. While the name we identify ourselves by has changed, our core mission—and our commitment to immigrants, refugees, victims of human trafficking, and others on the move—remains unwavering.
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This past year has been challenging in many ways for the department, especially given the loss of so many cherished colleagues. What remains clear to each of us who remain, however, is that the bishops of the United States are steadfast in their commitment to this part of the Church’s mission, which has always been a vital part of the USCCB’s work and identity. This year does not mark the end of 60 years’ worth of work. It is the start of a new chapter in the U.S. Church’s vibrant history.
The Secretariat of Migration will continue to promote the God-given dignity of every person, in accordance with the Committee on Migration’s mandate, and work to advance just policies that protect families and reflect the Church’s teachings, together with our colleagues throughout the USCCB. We will continue to support dioceses in carrying out their immigration ministries, provide educational resources, facilitate communication across the Church in this area, work collaboratively with local, national, and international partners, and help unite Catholic organizations in a shared mission of welcome, accompaniment, and solidarity.
And of course, we could not do any of this as effectively as we do without the support of people like you and so many others across our country who make up the Justice for Immigrants network. You are, and will remain, a vital part of this mission. Thank you for your partnership and ministry in service of the common good.
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VIGIL RECORDING – Praying for those affected by immigration enforcement
JFI hosted a virtual vigil on January 30 to provide an opportunity to pray for those who have been most harmed by immigration enforcement. Bishop Cahill of Victoria, TX, Archbishop Hebda and Bishop Kenney of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and Sr. Carol Zinn, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, reflected on the challenges facing the church and immigrant communities in our current climate.
Watch the recording here.
NEW RESOURCE – A Welcoming Church: Reflections on the Church’s Role in Refugee Resettlement
The Catholic Church in the United States has long played a prominent role in refugee resettlement, beginning in the immediate aftermath of World War II following the substantial displacement that occurred in its wake. These efforts continued during multiple displacement crises in Hungary, Cuba, Vietnam, and elsewhere, and culminated with the Church becoming one of several resettlement agencies following the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980. With the onset of the second Trump Administration, the formal work of the Church in this arena has come to close. This new resource looks back at the more than 70 years that the Catholic Church worked in refugee resettlement and takes stock in what it achieved during this time.
Read the report here.
NEW STATEMENT – Bishop Chairmen Call on Administration to Extend Protections for Haitians in the United States
“'We are deeply concerned about the plight of our Haitian brothers and sisters living in the United States who will soon have their legal status and work authorization revoked due to the Administration’s termination of TPS for Haiti. There is simply no realistic opportunity for the safe and orderly return of people to Haiti at this time,' said Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Migration, together with Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace."
Read the statement here.
A one-pager providing an update on the status of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti is also available from the USCCB.
NEW STATEMENT – Archbishop Coakley Calls for Holy Hour as a Moment of Renewal for Our Hearts and Our Nation
"The recent killing of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and that of a detained man in Texas, are just a few of the tragic examples of the violence that represent failures in our society to respect the dignity of every human life. We mourn this loss of life and deplore the indifference and injustice it represents. The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel."
Read the statement here.
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UPCOMING WEBINAR – 2026 State of Play on Migration
Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., and the USCCB will co-host a webinar on migration policy updates on February 10th from 3:00-4:15pm ET.
The webinar will begin with a prayer and introduction by Bishop Brendan Cahill, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Migration.
Please register here.
REGIONAL CONVENING — Witness to Hope: Responding to Mass Deportations
A full-day convening in Phoenix, AZ on March 12 focused on key issues related to the mass deportation of immigrants. Discussion topics will include the Catholic Church’s position on immigration and enforcement; “know your rights” guidance; the status of sensitive locations such as parishes, schools, and hospitals; strategies for accompanying immigrant communities; approaches to public events and public witness; and effective communications strategies. More regional convenings will follow.
Please register for the convening here.
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ONGOING INITIATIVE – You Are Not Alone
Please reflect on what kinds of support your diocese can provide affected communities and be sure to let us know what you are doing at [email protected] or in this form. Check out our flier for the initiative: English; Spanish. Please share widely and help others learn about it.
| | In honor of the 2025 theme for World Day of Migrants and Refugees, "Migrants, Missionaries of Hope," here are recent hopeful articles, homilies, and videos. | |
U.S. cardinal urges defunding of ICE: 'We need to see what's happening in front of us', PBS NewsHour:
Cardinal Tobin calls for "the recognition of the dignity of human beings no matter what their legal status may be... We need to see what's happening in front of us then recall... the human dignity of others... and when we see that dignity violated sometimes in a very egregious and fatal manner, then we have to say something."
Archbishop William E. Lori on violence and unrest in Minneapolis, Archdiocese of Baltimore:
Archbishop Lori: "This is a moment for us, as believers and citizens, to pause – to pray, to reflect, and to work for a better day. We pray for the two individuals who lost their lives, as well as for their families and loved ones."
After Minneapolis, we need a way forward, Archdiocese of Los Angeles:
Archbishop Gomez: "The country cannot go on like this. The first task is to restore order and peace to our streets, and insist on calm and restraint in our public discourse. In the wake of last weekend’s tragedy, I hope all sides in this conflict — federal authorities, city and state officials, and those protesting the enforcement actions — will take a step back in the interests of the common good. We are caught in a dangerous pattern of angry rhetoric, provocations, and violence. It needs to stop."
Archbishop Weisenburger: ICE violence, child separations put America’s soul in crisis, Archdiocese of Detroit:
Archbishop Weisenburger: "These issues are fundamental to the disciple of Jesus Christ. 'What we do to the least among us, we do to Him' is an ethical demand that must resonate in our hearts and be revealed in our lives. I ask the faithful to join with people of good will everywhere and to stand with those who are afraid to leave their homes, afraid to go to the hospital, afraid to take their children to school, afraid to buy groceries — those who are forced to live in fear every moment of every day."
Arkansas Bishop Anthony Taylor: We must shore up democracy before it's too late, National Catholic Reporter:
Bishop Taylor: "I pray that we will begin to look at the immigrants and refugees in our midst not as enemies or as "other." Not as different in color or in accent. Not as dangers or risks. But as created in the image and likeness of the same true God — as the stranger in our midst — as Jesus (Matthew 25:35)."
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Bishop Neary addresses the Latino community via video message in the wake of recent incidents, Diocese of Saint Cloud, MN:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in our Latino communities of the Diocese: I think of you often and pray for you every day. It breaks my heart to know that you and your families are living under such a dark cloud of fear because of the presence of ICE agents in and around your towns and neighborhoods. I can only imagine the feelings of loneliness and isolation you are experiencing.
Minneapolis Catholics wrestle with sorrow, anger, faith amid immigration operations, OSV News:
“How do you find hope, and simply being able to walk that walk?” [Father Cassidy] said during the CNN town hall broadcast, adding that “the biggest thing” is for “people to name that grief. It’s deep here in the cities. I have never seen it as such,” he admitted. “At the same time, [there is] rage. So it’s that whole combination,” he said, noting that he and fellow faith leaders “journey with people in that process.”
DC faith leaders denounce Minneapolis shootings as 'profound moral failure', National Catholic Reporter:
Cardinal McElroy and seven other faith leaders signed a statement, dated Jan. 29, that called the shooting deaths of Good and Pretti a "profound moral failure" that "demand our collective attention and response."
More US bishops warn: ‘The country cannot go on like this’, OSV News:
More U.S. Catholic bishops are sounding the alarm over an increasingly frayed social order both at home and abroad — while calling for a renewal of heart and a recommitment to Gospel values safeguarding God-given human dignity.
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Miami leaders push to stop end of TPS for Haitians, CBS News:
Miami’s archdiocese and local leaders are urging the Trump administration to keep TPS protections for Haitians, warning that ending the program would force families back into dangerous conditions and strip long‑time residents of legal status and work permits.
Immigration Policy Changes in 2025: Justice Denied During the First Year of the Second Trump Administration, CLINIC:
Donald Trump marked his return to office for his second term on Jan. 20, 2025, by immediately issuing multiple executive orders and policies that severely restricted immigration and immigrants’ rights in the United States. The pace of policy change did not ease during the year that followed. This resource provides an overview of what happened in 2025 in various aspects of immigration law and policy, how it impacted CLINIC’s network of legal services providers across the country, and how to get involved in advocacy in 2026.
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The Catholic sister ministering to migrants at our border, The Spiritual Life Podcast:
Sister Norma Pimentel, M.J., the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley talks with host Fr. James Martin, S.J., about her four decades of ministry with migrants and refugees on the U.S.-Mexico border, in South Texas.
| | Cardinal Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago describes "[immigrants] who have been here for decades, raised children, taken up work, created jobs themselves, paid taxes... There's an aspect of people's humanity and human dignity that also has to be respected. Let us see through the eyes of our faith rather than simply the eyes of legalism.". | | Cardinal Cupich reflects on "the importance of the family union as a place where young people's lives are nurtured. We have some incidences here in Chicago in which parents have been torn apart from their families and the children are left here on their own, and that does not seem to be an acceptable way for us to move forward as a nation. If we do not have strong families, we will not have a strong nation." | | | | |
