April 29, 2022

Inside this issue

• CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly
• Faith and the Common Good
• Trivia
• Connections

  CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly  
 
Overview: Immigration and border security continue to be at the forefront of several discussions and policy decisions in Washington and across the country. See "Title 42" and "Asylum" below for details.

Uniting  for Ukraine: Beginning April 25, individuals and nonprofits in the U.S. can apply for Ukrainian citizens under the Uniting for Ukraine program to sponsor those who have been displaced by Russia's invasion of their homeland. DHS announced the program on April 21 to allow Ukrainians who are sponsored to come to the United States and apply for two-year humanitarian parole and employment authorization. 

Economy: In the week ending April 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment insurance weekly] claims was 180,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 184,000 to 185,000. The 4-week moving average was 179,750, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 177,250 to 177,500.

Title 42: This week, Sister Donna Markham, OP, PhD, president and CEO of CCUSA, joined Bishop Mario Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, in sending a letter to Congress expressing concern over several measures that would prolong the misuse of Title 42.

People in support of asylum seekers rally near the Supreme Court in Washington April 26, 2022, as the court hears oral arguments in President Joe Biden's bid to rescind a Trump-era immigration policy that forced migrants to stay in Mexico to await U.S. hearings on their asylum claims. (CNS photo/Elizabeth Frantz, Reuters)

Also this week, a federal judge in Louisiana issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), blocking the Biden administration from ending Title 42, a public health law designed to prevent the entry of migrants into the country to slow the spread of COVID-19. In Arizona v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri and more than a dozen other states sued to block the administration from ending Title 42. The TRO is effective for two weeks while the court considers the merits of the case.  The CDC previously announced plans to end the use of Title 42 effective May 23, and the administration stated it would follow the CDC's ruling. 

In addition to lawsuits filed by the states, a bipartisan bill is also being considered in Congress to prevent the termination of Title 42. Moderate Democrats join GOP senators to back bill to delay end of Title 42 border expulsions - CBS News.

Asylum: The state of Texas sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to block the implementation of its new asylum screening rule which is expected to take effect on May 31. DHS announced the rule on March 24 aimed to efficiently and quickly process new asylum claims and to reduce the asylum backlog, allowing USCIS asylum officers to review and make decisions on certain asylum claims. Congress has provided funding to support the implementation of this new rule. DHS and DOJ Issue Rule to Efficiently and Fairly Process Asylum Claims | Homeland Security AND Texas AG sues Biden administration over new asylum screening rules (borderreport.com). 

Public charge: Follow this link to read CCUSA's comments regarding the Homeland Security Department's proposed rule to amend the federal public charge provisions related to people seeking entrance into the U.S. or Lawful Permanent Resident status.
 
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  Faith and the Common Good  
 
On May 1, most years, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. This year the Sunday celebration takes precedence, but we can still remind ourselves of the significance of the feast.

Back in 1955, when Pope Pius XII instituted the feast, he was trying to cast light on the inherent dignity of the human being, with a spotlight on workers. 

Workers guide steel beams into place at a construction site in San Francisco. (CNS photo/Robert Galbraith, Reuters)

In many communist countries, May 1 (or May Day) became an occasion to honor workers, but it was often a day full of political propaganda covering up the exploitation of human labor. Instead of protecting the human person, the state was using him or her.

Pope Pius wanted to remind the world that a human person has rights not because the state grants them but because of who the human person is: the image of God. Moreover, the ability to work is part of the inherent dignity of human beings, for God made them "to cultivate [the garden] and care for it" (Gen 2:15).

Pope Francis, in anticipation of what's called "Labour Day" in Rome, tweeted yesterday that working "allows everyone to express the best of themselves while earning their daily bread."

Both individuals and the state have a duty to treat workers with respect and honor. Depending on our role in society, we can fulfill our duty through voting for like-minded representatives or enacting laws and policies based on the underlying truth of human dignity and worth.
 
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  Trivia  
 
Q. Why is this day (April 29) significant to the life of Saint Joan of Arc?

Please send your answers to [email protected]. 

Last week's question and answer:

Q. Who is credited with leading the cause to establish Earth Day?

Thanks to Rob Shelledy, coordinator of the social justice ministry at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, for being the first to give the correct answer (and he should know since, as Rob says in his email, the person was from "the great State of Wisconsin"): Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, a staunch environmentalist who hoped to provide unity to the grassroots environmental movement and increase ecological awareness. "The objective was to get a nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake the political establishment out of its lethargy," Senator Nelson said, "and, finally, force this issue permanently onto the national political agenda."
 
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  Connections  
 
Please share the weekly with your friends, family and networks so that we can build a movement of solidarity for those most in need!

Be sure to text "CCUSA" to #50457 to receive our action alerts! 

You can also access advocacy opportunities through our advocacy and policy page.

Stay connected with our work to end poverty: Follow us on Twitter: @CCharitiesUSA.   

If you would like to help further Catholic Charities' commitment to alleviating, reducing, and preventing poverty, you can contribute here.
 
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