JFI Biweekly Review: December 5-16, 2022 JFI Colleagues, Please see below for the latest updates from JFI. On Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, U.S. Bishops’ Migration Chairman Reaffirms Church’s Solidarity with Immigrants In a statement released December 12, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, underscored “the natural right to migrate, balanced with the sovereign right of countries to uphold their borders, as well as their obligations to provide humane processes for newcomers.” Bishop Seitz also called on the federal government to stand up critical infrastructure to meet the humanitarian needs of the increasing numbers of people arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Crux reported on the statement. USCIS Releases New Resources for Venezuelans U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published new resources related to the Process for Venezuelans first announced by the Department of Homeland Security on October 12, 2022: English Resources USCIS' Process for Venezuelans National Engagement on October 19, 2022 Webinar Presentation Frequently Asked Questions About the Process for Venezuelans Spanish Resources Process for Venezuelans Pre-recorded Webinar Webinar Presentation Frequently Asked Questions About the Process for Venezuelans  Reminder: Complete and Share JFI’s Current Action Alerts There is still time to complete and share JFI’s action alerts before the end of this Congress, especially with appropriations for Fiscal Year 2023 being negotiated at this very moment. If you have not done so already, please demonstrate your concern for these issues and the populations impacted: Urge Congress to Pass the Afghan Adjustment Act Show Your Support for Dreamers Urge Your U.S. Senators to Pass Bipartisan Anti-Trafficking Legislation Encourage Your U.S. Senators to Pass Critical Agricultural Reform  Policy Update / Actualización de Política We are thankful to the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) for its weekly Migration Update. Please visit their bilingual Migration Update page to stay up-to-date on recent migration policy updates. View the December 14 CMS Migration Update, which includes: DHS Published Federal Register Notices Regarding TPS and Suspension of Regulatory Requirements for F-1 Nonimmigrant Student Visas for Ethiopians DHS and DOL Issued a Temporary Final Rule Making an Additional 64,716 H-2B Visas Available for FY 2023 Florida Grand Jury Called for the State Legislature to Expand a Law Targeting People Who Smuggled Undocumented Immigrants into and within the State USCIS Updated its Policy Manual to Allow for Automatic Extension of Permanent Resident Cards for Naturalization Applicants View the December 7 CMS Migration Update, which includes: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Extended and Redesignated TPS for Haiti for 18 Months Several Rural Counties in Texas are Adopting Disaster Declarations Due to an “Invasion” of Immigrants New York Plans to Expand Legal Services to Immigrants Who Arrived in the Five Boroughs over the Last Year Colombia Asked the Biden Administration to Provide Temporary Legal Status through Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to Colombians Who Are Already in the United States 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. Ver la Actualización de Migración del CMS de 14 de deciembre, que incluye: El DHS publicó avisos del Registro Federal sobre el TPS y la suspensión de los requisitos reglamentarios para las visas de estudiantes no-inmigrantes F-1 para etíopes DHS y DOL emitieron una regla final temporal que pone a disposición 64,716 visas H-2B adicionales para el año fiscal 2023 El Gran Jurado de Florida Pidió a la Legislatura del Estado Ampliar una Ley Apuntando a las Personas que Contrabandeaban Inmigrantes Indocumentados hacia y dentro del Estado USCIS actualizó su manual de políticas para permitir la extensión automática de tarjetas de residencia permanente para solicitantes de naturalización Ver la Actualización de Migración del CMS de 7 de diciembre, que incluye: El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) extendió y redesignó el TPS para Haití por 18 meses Varios condados rurales de Texas están adoptando declaraciones de desastre debido a una “invasión” de inmigrantes Nueva York planea ampliar los servicios legales a los inmigrantes que llegaron a los cinco condados durante el último año Colombia solicitó a la administración de Biden que proporcione estatus legal temporal a través de la salida forzada diferida (DED) a los colombianos que ya se encuentran en los Estados Unidos  Migration-Related Stories, Op-Eds and Interviews by Catholic Bishops and Agency Executives Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop Emeritus of Brooklyn, Blogpost: Globalization requires us to change our views on immigration Kevin Appleby, Center for Migration Studies of New York: Catholics need to watch our language about immigration Notable New Publications, Reports, Films, Articles, Etc. Center for Migration Studies: Venezuela Diaspora: Changing Demographics, Remittances, and Return Migration Patterns The average age of Venezuelan migrants is increasing. At the beginning of the massive exodus in 2015, people between 15 and 29 years old migrated, but now, the predominant age group of migrants is between 30 and 49 years old. These statistics come from the 2022 National Survey of Living Conditions, conducted by the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB) in Caracas, Venezuela. The main reason for emigration continues to be finding work outside the country, although migration for family reunification reasons is on the rise. UCAB researchers do not predict a massive return process to Venezuela due to the absence of conditions to receive the millions of Venezuelans who settled in other countries. Migration Policy Institute UNICEF Issue Brief: Strategies to Strengthen Delivery of Post-Release Services for Unaccompanied Children When unaccompanied migrant children leave the care of U.S. federal custody to reunite with a parent or other sponsor, they often lose access to critical case management, health and mental health care and other social services. While local governments, post-release service providers and others offer a range of services to support these children, the transition into U.S. communities can be rocky for these young migrants and their families because the service infrastructure and ease of access vary from location to location. This issue brief released today by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) sketches promising strategies for lowering barriers that can prevent unaccompanied children from accessing post-release supports and amplifying the effectiveness of services. Fact Sheets on Employment Rights for Afghans and Ukrainians The U.S. Justice Department has released fact sheets that provide information on the employment rights of Afghans and Ukrainians in the United States. The fact sheets include the employment protections to which Afghans and Ukrainians are entitled, examples of documentation that these workers may show during the employment eligibility verification process, and information on how Afghans and Ukrainians in the United States can get help with a work-related issue through the Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) worker hotline. Here are the Afghan IER Fact Sheet and Ukrainian IER Fact Sheet Other Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and Resources 2023 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering: "Blessed are the Peacemakers" (Mt 5:9), January 28 – 31, 2023. Attend the next in-person gathering of U.S. Catholic social ministry leaders organized by the Department of Justice, Peace & Human Development, 10 USCCB departments, and 20 national Catholic organizations! This year’s theme recognizes the call to heal in a world broken by conflict, division, and inequality. Inspired by Jesus’ example and the Eucharist, we must encounter, listen, accompany, and work together to build peace. After hosting CSMG virtually for the past two years, we will gather again to pray, learn, and act for the common good and to lift up our Catholic voices during advocacy visits on Capitol Hill. Join us and register today. Ignation Solidarity Network (ISN) and Kino Border Initiative (KBI): 2022 Virtual Posadas: Holy Families of the Journey of Hope, December 16-24, 2022. Join ISN and KBI in a daily virtual experience of prayer, reflection, and action as we journey with Holy Families on the Journey of Hope. Find out more and be a part of it. Pax Christi USA: Advent mini-retreat (online) for Young Adults, December 17, 2022 at 12 PM Eastern. Join Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus for an afternoon of prayer and faith-sharing as they ask, "how are we being called to claim responsibility for our beloved neighbor this Advent season?" Young adult leaders will share reflections on the path of migrants, immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and the global family of dreamers who leave everything they have known to take a walk of faith. Learn more and register. Catholic Charities USA Webinar: The Intersection between Unaccompanied Children (UAC) and Child Welfare Advocacy, January 10, 2023 at 2 PM Eastern. Join us as we discuss the immigration process and the rights of families or children who encounter the child welfare system. This webinar will help child welfare staff and stakeholders to understand the foundational concepts in working with unaccompanied children and families within the child welfare system and the resources available for this population. We will highlight policies that provide context for the UAC process to include the description of who unaccompanied children are, the implications of current policies, and strategies that help change the narrative. Also, we will discuss how to activate community members in supporting unaccompanied children. Register here. Please note this is the last JFI Biweekly Review for 2022. Advent Blessings, Tony Cube Stay Connected 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! 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