JFI Bi-Weekly Review - April 25th - May 6th, 2022 |
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JFI Colleagues,
Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.
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USCCB/CCUSA Send Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership on Emergency Supplemental Funding Request for Ukraine
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On May 4, 2022, Bishop Mario Dorsonville, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, and Sr. Donna Markham, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), sent a letter to congressional leadership asking Congress to address several urgent needs within the context of supplemental funding for Ukraine. The letter includes requests for additional funding to support those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, including $3 billion for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, $2.2 billion for the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, and $350 million for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The letter also encourages Congress to authorize Ukrainian parolees to receive the full range of services and benefits provided to those with formal refugee status and enact legislation that would streamline the process for Afghan nationals in the United States to pursue permanent legal status. The full text of the letter is available here.
Regularly updated information and resources related to the ongoing events in Ukraine and how people can help those impacted are available on the JFI Ukraine Resource Page.
USCCB/CCUSA Send Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership on Efforts to Prolong the Misuse of Title 42
On April 27, 2022, Bishop Dorsonville and Sr. Donna sent a letter to congressional leadership expressing opposition to any legislative measures that would prolong the misuse of certain provisions of Title 42 of the U.S. Code (through a policy commonly referred to as just “Title 42”) to prevent access to asylum and override normal immigration proceedings under Title 8. At the same time, the letter emphasizes the importance of having positive support structures in place in the absence of Title 42 to address increased humanitarian needs at the U.S.-Mexico border. Bishop Dorsonville and Sr. Donna further urged Congress “to immediately begin pursuing bold legislative reforms of our immigration system that maintain our country’s longstanding, bipartisan commitment to family unity and humanitarian protection.” The full text of the letter is available here.
Video: Raíces y Alas Prayer Vigil and Press Conference on Capitol Hill
Watch Bishop Dorsonville lead a prayer vigil and kick off a press conference at the U.S. Capitol that occurred on April 27, 2022, as part of the Day of Advocacy for this year’s Raíces y Alas Congress, an event convened by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry.
Webinar:
MPP in the Courts: Examining the Consequences of the Policy’s Litigation
We look forward to you joining us for this webinar on May 17, 2022 at 2 PM Eastern. Please share this webinar flyer and link with your networks.
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Reminder: Request for World Refugee Day 2022
World Refugee Day (WRD) is June 20, 2022, and is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. WRD celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives. Please send Tony Cube or Todd Scribner an email with events you have planned for World Refugee Day 2022.
Policy Update / Actualización de Política
- Federal Court Order Temporarily Blocks the Biden Administration from Winding Down Title 42
- Arizona Attorney General and 12 Other States Challenge the Biden Administration’s Proposed Asylum Rule in Federal Court
- San Diego County Board of Supervisors Approves a Temporary Policy to Provide Shelter to Asylum Seekers
- President Biden Announced the Uniting for Ukraine Program and DOS Will Expand USRAP Operations in Europe in an Effort to Welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians to the United States
- DHS Published a Federal Register Request to Provide a Website for Individuals to Request to Disenroll from the MPP Program
- DHS Extends COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Foreign Citizens Entering the United States via Land Ports of Entry and Ferry Terminals
- United States and Cuba Held High-Level Diplomatic Talks on Migration as an Influx of Cuban Migrants Are Trying to Enter at the US-Mexico Border
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.
- Una orden del tribunal federal impide temporalmente que la administración Biden ponga fin al Título 42
- El fiscal general de Arizona y otros 12 estados impugnan ante un tribunal federal la norma de asilo propuesta por la Administración Biden
- La Junta de Supervisores del Condado de San Diego aprueba una política temporal para proporcionar refugio a solicitantes de asilo
- El presidente Biden anunció el programa "Unidos por Ucrania" y el DOS ampliará las operaciones del USRAP en Europa en un esfuerzo por acoger hasta 100.000 ucranianos en Estados Unidos
- DHS publicó una solicitud en el Registro Federal para crear un sitio web en el que se puede solicitar la baja del programa MPP
- DHS amplía los requisitos de vacunación contra la COVID-19 para ciudadanos extranjeros que entren en Estados Unidos a través de los puertos de entrada terrestres y las terminales de ferry
- Estados Unidos y Cuba mantuvieron conversaciones diplomáticas de alto nivel sobre la migración ante la afluencia de migrantes cubanos que intentan entrar por la frontera entre México y Estados Unidos
Migration-Related Op-Eds, Interviews, and Columns by Catholic Bishops
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Notable New Publications, Reports, Films, Articles, Etc.
Center for Migration Studies of New York:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced the designation of Cameroon and the re-designation of Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS provides a temporary stay of deportation and work authorization to nationals of designated countries who are unable to return to their countries safely due to armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary temporary conditions. CMS estimates there are at least 15,700 Cameroonian nationals and 6,800 Sudanese nationals in the U.S. who are eligible for TPS. Proactive outreach is essential in order to maximize the number of successful TPS applications among those newly eligible.
The Summer 2022 edition of the International Migration Review is now available online and in print through paid or institutional subscription. This edition is thematically sorted into four sections. The first section examines immigrant wage gaps and labor market performance in Europe. The second discusses native-immigrant comparisons in neighborhoods, workplaces, and education. The third section has articles about cultural attitudes, cultural frames, and immigrant incorporation. The fourth focuses on migration decisions, development, and networks. Lastly, this edition includes 11 book reviews, which are free to access.
In a recently released report, the CLN documented extensive wage theft at Washington, DC’s largest construction sites. For most of one year, CLN’s field representative visited major DC construction sites and interviewed 79 workers from various construction trades. A well-developed system of “labor brokers” – employers of record who pay employees on behalf of specialty contractors – has sprung up in construction jobs between the established firms and their workforce to facilitate payroll violations. Most of the workers recruited by these labor brokers were immigrants unfamiliar with their rights or hesitant to exercise them.
Upon coming to the U.S. to pursue graduate studies and then to embark on training as a Jesuit, Haitian-born Patrick Saint-Jean discovered something he had not known before: racism. “I learned I am a Black man―and that America, including the Society of Jesus here in this country, is white space where people of color are not welcome. This direct experience of racism became a crucible for me.” In describing this painful journey, which included becoming aware of the ambiguous history of his own Jesuit order, Saint-Jean embarked on a fresh reading of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. The basic principles of Jesuit formation―the “discernment of spirits,” the examination of conscience, the imaginative identification with Jesus in his sufferings, death, and resurrection―became an entry to his own journey of hope and resurrection. These principles and practices, he concludes, hold promise of conversion and healing for a church and a society still caught in the crucible of racism.
Other Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and Resources
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Bratislava Boys Choir Performance at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA , May 12, 2022 at 7 PM. For the first time since 2014, the acclaimed Bratislava Boys Choir from Bratislava, Slovakia will return for a concert in Scranton. The choir’s repertoire features a wide variety of both sacred and secular works including Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, concert Masses, arrangements of folk songs, and works by contemporary composers. Contact Michael Stretanski at 570-817-3430 for more information.
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JustFaith Ministries: Introduction to the Mary and Gary Becker Social Justice Award, May 11, 2022 at 3:30 PM Eastern. This award recognizes a project or ministry, led by a JustFaith Ministries graduate or group of graduates, that has created social change in their community, state, nation, or world with a one-time financial award and national exposure. Register for the presentation and learn more about the award and how to apply.
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POWER Philadelphia’s Welcome Orientation, Philadelphia, PA, May 12, 2022 at 6 PM. Learn about our campaigns for racial justice, immigrants, poverty reduction, and more. Register to attend.
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CLINIC Convening (Virtual), May 16-19, 2022. CLINIC’s 2022 Convening will again be virtual with events taking place in the afternoons Eastern Time. The conference will feature keynotes, thoughtful policy and legal analysis, and discussion of the most important immigration topics from leading government officials, policymakers, researchers, advocates and others. Please visit our convening website for more information and to register.
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Online Panel Presentation: Racism and the Filipino Immigrant Experience, May 19, 2022 at 4 PM Eastern. In this webinar, scholars in the field of Asian American Studies will examine the history of anti-Asian racism in this country and explore the possibilities for solidarity through a Filipino American lens. See the flyer below for more information and to register:
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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.
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