JFI Week in Review 12/16 - 12/20/2019

Justice for Immigrants Colleagues,

Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.

Passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act

On December 11, 2019, the U.S. House passed HR 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill which would improve conditions for immigrant farmworkers and their families, ensure the stability of the U.S. agricultural industry, offer legalization to certain farmworkers and their families, and reform the H2A worker program. After the vote of 260-165 for passage, Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, and Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, and Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, issued a statement in support of the legislation. After passage in the House, there is hope that this bill will be taken up in the Senate. Join us on the next JFI National Call on January 15th to learn more.

Refugee Resettlement Update

Since October 1, 2019, the start of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, the U.S. has admitted 2,569 refugees, with the top resettlement states being Washington, California, Texas, New York, and Arizona. The largest numbers of refugees admitted so far this year have been from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Maldova, and Eritrea. These countries constitute over 80% of the nationalities of refugees admitted so far this Fiscal Year.

Pursuant to Executive Order 13888 (EO 13888), resettlement agencies must secure consent to resettle from governors and county executives in order to resettle in their jurisdictions. So far, 29 governors have consented, including 10 Republicans.See link to Department of State (DOS) website where the consent letters are posted (note that there may be lag time between when an official announces consent and when it is posted by DOS).

Appropriations Update

With a continuing resolution set to expire on December 20th, Congressional leaders reached agreement on all 12 FY2020 appropriations bills, packaging them into two "minibuses" of 4 and 8 bills. The House and Senate have passed both bills by wide margins and President Trump is expected to sign the measures prior to tonight's midnight deadline. Refugee-related funding within the Labor Health &Human Services, and Education (LHHS) and the State Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPs) bills remained level or slightly higher than FY19 funding for virtually every account for FY20. A compromise was reached in the Homeland Security bill, keeping border wall funding, enforcement agencies' funding, and immigration detention levels near FY19 levels, while not barring the President from transferring funds from different areas to increase some of those totals. Please see FY2020 article on overall appropriations and refugee appropriations update.

Fee Waiver Comment

On December 18th, USCCB/MRS, Catholic Charities USA, and CLINIC filed a comment opposing proposed fee increases to applications for adjustment of status, asylum, DACA renewals and naturalization. Earlier this month, JFI and CLINIC held a webinar that highlighted the significance of the fee waiver changes. Please see the slides and recording at the JFI website. Please also see the sample template comment created by CLINIC, which provides a model for those interested in filing their own comment.

National Migration Week 2020

The upcoming National Migration Week (NMW) is January 5-11, 2020 and the theme for this year's celebration is "Promoting a Church and a World for All." Please send information about your NMW 2020 events to [email protected] so we may promote your Mass, celebration or diocesan activity. Please also send us your post-NMW event photos and media stories. Best wishes for the New Year and National Migration Week 2020!

National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month Toolkit

January is the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Please see our National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and Day of Prayer toolkit. Download the tool kit and you will find human trafficking talking points, samples letters to the editor, community engagement ideas, social media, prayer intercessions, and more!

SAVE THE DATE: 1st JFI National Call of 2020- January 15th at 2pm Eastern

Please mark your calendars and join the JFI national call on January 15, 2020 at 2-3 PM Eastern. Bishop Mario Dorsonville of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, the new chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration will speak on the call. Call details will be sent in January.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother: Christmas Festival of Lights - Until December 30, 2019 in Portland, OR -The Grotto's 32nd Annual Christmas Festival of Lights opens daily at 5 PM and will run through Dec. 30 (except Christmas Day). Come hear choirs, see lights, listen to caroling, and more. See the Grotto's website.

National Migration Week Mass - January 4, 2020 at 11 AM in the Diocese of Owensboro, KY - Join Bishop William F. Medley at St. Stephen Cathedral for Mass as we kick off National Migration Week across our diocese and the nation on Saturday, Jan. 4th. More information is on the diocese's website.

National Migration Week Mass - January 5, 2020 at 5:15 PM in the Archdiocese of Chicago - The Archdiocese's annual National Migration Week Mass will take place at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 North State St., Chicago 60611. Learn more on the website.

Fences, Cages, and a Wall: Experiences of St. Louis Teens at the Border - January 6, 2020 at 6:30 PM in the Archdiocese of St. Louis -Join a group of high school students at St. Margaret of Scotland Church (3854 Flad Avenue, 63110) who will talk about their recent experience at the U.S./Mexico Border, what they learned, and how it impacted their lives.
Centering Immigrants' Stories Workshop - January 7, 2020 at 6:30 PM in the Archdiocese of Seattle - Come to St. James Cathedral, 804 Ninth Ave., Seattle 98104, during National Migration Week to celebrate migrants. This 90-minute workshop is focused on holding space, being present, and centering the stories of immigrants. Call Chris Koehler, 206-382-4511, to RSVP.

Diocesan Mass Celebrating Migrant Peoples- January 12, 2020 at 3 PM in San Bernardino, CA - Come worship with Bishop Gerald Barnes who will officiate Mass in honor and celebration of migrant peoples on Sunday, Jan. 12th at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, 2525 N Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92405. Email for more information.

On behalf of the Justice for Immigrants team, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

In Solidarity,

Tony Cube