JFI Week in Review - June 28th-July 2nd, 2021

Justice for Immigrants Colleagues,

In advance of the upcoming holiday weekend, you are receiving the Week in Review a day early. Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.

Sección en español de la Semana en Revisión

Obispos Católicos, Otros Líderes Se Reúnen sobre Migración

Del 1 al 2 de junio de 2021, un grupo de obispos católicos de Estados Unidos, México y Centroamérica se reunieron en el Seminario Mundelein fuera de Chicago para discutir las respuestas pastorales a la migración desde América Latina. También participaron líderes de organizaciones católicas y otros expertos en el tema de la migración, así como representantes del Vaticano. El tema de la reunión fue "Hacia un "nosotros" cada vez más grande", basado en el tema de este año para la Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado.

Durante la reunión, el obispo Mario Dorsonville, presidente del Comité de Migración de la USCCB, ofreció una reflexión sobre las causas fundamentales de la migración, señalando los muchos desafíos que hacen que las personas migren, incluyendo la violencia, la persecución y la corrupción. El obispo Mark Seitz de El Paso alentó a las diócesis "a ver cómo sus iglesias podrían participar en la hermosa experiencia de dar la bienvenida a los migrantes y compartir sus historias". El Cardenal Michael Czerny, S.J., subsecretario de la Sección de Migrantes y Refugiados del Vaticano, habló sobre la caracterización de la Iglesia por parte del Papa Francisco como "el custodio de una visión unificadora de la humanidad".

Las oportunidades potenciales para la acción colectiva se dividieron en tres áreas: dar la bienvenida a las personas en movimiento; abordar las causas profundas y ampliar la protección de los solicitantes de asilo; y abogar por ampliar las enseñanzas morales de la Iglesia sobre la migración. Al concluir la reunión, los participantes se comprometieron a un proceso continuo de discernimiento y colaboración para garantizar una respuesta fuerte y unificada de la Iglesia a la situación migratoria.

Un resumen de la reunión fue proporcionado a todo el cuerpo de obispos en una presentación por el obispo Dorsonville y el obispo Seitz durante la asamblea general de primavera de la USCCB. En esa misma presentación, el obispo Dorsonville reiteró la necesidad urgente de una reforma migratoria, especialmente la legalización de los miembros indocumentados de nuestra sociedad.

La Vicepresidenta Harris Se Reúne con Líderes Católicos en la Frontera

Durante su visita a El Paso el 25 de junio de 2021, la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris se reunió con el obispo Seitz, así como con otros líderes religiosos y representantes de organizaciones sin fines de lucro. El obispo Seitz habló sobre el importante papel que desempeña el acompañamiento en el trabajo de la Iglesia a lo largo de la frontera, así como la necesidad de cooperación entre el gobierno federal y la sociedad civil. Dylan Corbett, director ejecutivo de Hope Border Institute, también estuvo presente en la reunión. La vicepresidenta estuvo acompañada en su viaje por el secretario de seguridad nacional de los Estados Unidos, Alejandro Mayorkas, el senador Dick Durbin de Illinois y la representante Verónica Escobar de Texas. La vicepresidenta Harris visitó una instalación de procesamiento de la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos, visitó un área de selección para solicitantes de asilo en el Puerto de Entrada de Paso del Norte y se detuvo en un concurrido cruce fronterizo peatonal. La vicepresidenta ha sido encargada de dirigir la respuesta de la Administración a la migración desde Centroamérica.

DHS Amplía los Criterios de Elegibilidad para el Procesamiento de Aquellos que Estaban Anteriormente Inscritos en MPP

El 23 de junio de 2021, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos (DHS por sus siglas en inglés) anunció que está ampliando el grupo de personas previamente inscritas en los Protocolos de Protección al Migrante (MPP por sus siglas en inglés) que son elegibles para ser procesados en los Estados Unidos. A partir de esa fecha, DHS incluye a aquellos que estaban inscritos en MPP y que tuvieron sus casos terminados o recibieron órdenes de expulsión en ausencia (es decir, las personas no estuvieron presentes en sus audiencias judiciales). DHS continuará procesando en los Estados Unidos a aquellos que estaban inscritos en MPP con casos pendientes. La Administración ha aconsejado a las personas elegibles que permanezcan donde se encuentran actualmente y se registren en línea a través de https://conecta.acnur.org.

La Iglesia Cree en la Unidad Familiar, Lo Cual Incluye a los Niños en la Frontera

El obispo Mario Dorsonvillle de la Arquidiócesis de Washington escribió en El Pregonero (el periódico en español de la Arquidiócesis de Washington) sobre la situación humanitaria en la frontera sur de los Estados Unidos y cómo el ministerio de la Iglesia Católica para los inmigrantes y refugiados surge de nuestra creencia de que cada ser humano ha sido creado a imagen y semejanza de Dios. También el obispo dice que, "seguiremos respondiendo a su difícil situación promoviendo una respuesta inspirada en Cristo para acoger y proteger a quienes lo necesitan, y apoyando medidas destinadas a mitigar la pobreza, la violencia y la corrupción que empujan a las familias a emigrar en primer lugar". Para leer todo del mensaje del obispo puede visitar este enlace aquí.

¿Tiene actualizaciones o recursos en español que desea compartir? Favor de enviarlos a Sarah Hoff y nosotros los promovemos.

English Language Section

Next JFI National Call and Forthcoming Action Alert

Please join us on July 15, 2021 at 2 PM Eastern for the next Justice for Immigrants National Call. On the call, we will share the latest policy and legislative updates as well as provide information about an upcoming JFI national action alert. Call-in information and an agenda will be sent in a separate email. We look forward to joining you on the national call!

Catholic Bishops, Other Leaders Hold International Meeting on Migration

On June 1-2, 2021, a group of Catholic bishops from the United States, Mexico, and Central America met at Mundelein Seminary outside of Chicago to discuss pastoral responses to migration from Latin America. Also participating were leaders from Catholic organizations and other experts on the topic of migration, as well as Vatican representatives. The theme of the meeting was "A Wider We", based on this year's theme for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

During the meeting, Bishop Mario Dorsonville, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Migration, provided a reflection on the root causes of migration, noting the many challenges that cause people to migrate, including violence, persecution, and corruption. Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso encouraged dioceses"to see how your churches might participate in the beautiful experience of welcoming migrants and sharing their stories." Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., under-secretary of the Vatican's Migrants and Refugees Section, discussed Pope Francis' characterization of the Church as "the custodian of a unifying vision of humanity."

Potential opportunities for collective action were divided into three areas: welcoming people on the move; addressing root causes and expanding protections for asylum seekers; and advocacy to amplify the Church's moral teachings on migration. At the conclusion of the meeting, participants committed to an ongoing process of discernment and collaboration to ensure a strong, unified response by the Church to the migration situation.

A summary of the meeting was provided to the full body of bishops in a presentation by Bishop Dorsonville and Bishop Seitz during the USCCB's spring general assembly. In that same presentation, Bishop Dorsonville reiterated the urgent need for immigration reform, especially legalization of the undocumented members of our society.

Vice President Harris Meets with Catholic Leaders at the Border

During her visit to El Paso on June 25, 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris met with Bishop Seitz, as well as other faith leaders and representatives of nonprofits. Bishop Seitz discussed the important role that accompaniment plays in the Church's work along the border, as well as the need for cooperation between the federal government and civil society. Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute, was also present at the meeting. The Vice President was joined on her trip by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, and Representative Veronica Escobar of Texas. Vice President Harris toured a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility, visited a screening area for asylum applicants at the Paso del Norte Port of Entry, and stopped at a busy pedestrian border crossing. The Vice President has been tasked with leading the Administration's response to migration from Central America.

U.S. Catholic Bishops' Migration Chairman Responds to Outcome of Supreme Court Case on MPP

On June 21, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States dismissed Mayorkas v. Innovation Law Lab and ordered that the lower court's judgement be vacated as moot. Additionally, the Court denied a motion to intervene filed by the States of Texas, Missouri, and Arizona. The case challenged the legality of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy. Under MPP, first implemented in 2019, asylum seekers were returned to Mexico to await adjudication of their cases, where they regularly faced dangerous and inhumane conditions. The Court's decision follows the formal termination of the program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on June 1, 2021.

On January 22, 2021, the USCCB, together with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), filed an amicus curiae brief in Mayorkas v. Innovation Law Lab.

Bishop Dorsonville released a statement in response to the Court's decision, calling for our "nation to welcome the newcomer and respond to those in need with Christ-like compassion," which includes "ending the misuse of Title 42 to turn away vulnerable asylum seekers, addressing the root causes of migration, and reforming our bogged down immigration system."

DHS Expands Eligibility Criteria for Processing of Former MPP Enrollees

On June 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is expanding the pool of individuals previously enrolled in the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) who are eligible for processing into the United States. As of that date, DHS is including MPP enrollees who had their cases terminated or received orders of removal in absentia (i.e., individuals were not present at their court hearings). DHS will continue to process into the United States MPP enrollees with pending cases. The Administration has advised eligible individuals to stay where they are currently located and register online through https://conecta.acnur.org.

Biden Administration Announces Plans to Evacuate Certain Afghan Nationals Ahead of U.S. Military Withdrawal

On June 24, 2021, President Joe Biden pledged to relocate thousands of Afghans to other countries or U.S. territories while their visa applications are processed. Those included in the evacuation are Afghans who worked for the U.S. government, such as translators, and their families. This is expected to occur sometime in the next couple of months. The Administration plans to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. Since 2009, Congress has authorized Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for certain Afghan nationals who have assisted the United States. More information is available from the U.S. Department of State and on the JFI website.

HHS Prepares to Close Multiple Emergency Intake Sites for Unaccompanied Children

On June 28, 2021, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, announced that the agency is weighing the closure of the Emergency Intake Site at Fort Bliss in Texas, among others. The news comes in the wake of reports and court filings that detail concerning conditions for children at these sites.

New Report from USCCB/MRS and The Catholic University of America's Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Clinic: A Vision Forward: Policies Needed to Protect the Best Interests of "Category 4" Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

USCCB/MRS partnered with the Columbus School of Law's Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Clinic (IRAC) at The Catholic University of America on an urgent new report calling attention to the needs of unaccompanied migrant children without sponsors in the United States.

A Vision Forward: Policies Needed to Protect the Best Interests of "Category 4" Unaccompanied Immigrant Children explores the current system for protecting unaccompanied children whom the government has determined do not have viable sponsors.

This report highlights the flaws in the system of care for unaccompanied children, particularly for Category 4 youth. It highlights ways in which the federal custody system for unaccompanied children without sponsors departs from foundational child welfare principles underlying the U.S. child welfare system. This report's recommendations urge policy makers to better protect the best interests of Category 4 children in U.S. government care. Recommendations include:

Improving data collection;
Reducing reliance on large-scale congregate housing;
Prioritizing and incentivizing individualized, family placements;
Streamlining the process of referring children into family- and community-based care;
Increasing funding to meet the educational, social, and health needs of Category 4 children;
Streamlining the process for determining legal status;
Ending detention of youth who age out of foster care at 18;
Expanding supportive independent living opportunities for unaccompanied youth ages 18-21.

While the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) released updated guidance concerning expanded eligibility for Category 4 youth as this report was being published, significant and permanent changes are still needed. Now is the time to implement policies incentivizing continuity of care, facilitating expeditious resolution of legal claims, and requiring that children who age out of ORR custody are not transferred to adult detention but, instead, continue to receive care and supportive independent living assistance as they transition into young adulthood.

Please join us for a webinar to learn more about the report and its recommendations:

When: July 21 at 3:00 PM EST
Where: https://bit.ly/2Ug1oEH (Zoom)

Other Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and Resources

Ongoing: Talk to an Immigration Attorney, Sponsored by Catholic Charities - Tompkins Tioga (NY). Call Sue Chaffee, (607) 272-5062 (ext. 11), to make an appointment.

Citizenship Class, July 3, 2021 at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church (Houston, TX) at 10 AM. This class will be in person. Due to COVID-19, pre-registration is required.
Catholic Charities - Diocese of Venice (FL) FREE Social Services Clinic, July 10, 2021, at 10 AM. If you need assistance with immigration, housing, financial assistance, or SNAP and food benefits, we'll be available to answer questions and provide support. Services will be available in English and Spanish. All are welcome. Please call (239) 334-4007 for more information.

Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri Refugee Resettlement Orientation: Welcoming the Newcomer, July 14, 2021, at 5:30 PM. Learn about refugees from around the world and how you can get involved. Call Diana Twombly at (573) 442-7568 for more information.

Catholic Climate Covenant and Creighton University Invitation: Laudato Si' and the U.S. Catholic Church: A Conference Series on Our Common Home, July 13-15, 2021. Registration is now open for this conference headlined by Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago.

Happy Independence Day,

Tony Cube