JFI Colleagues,

Happy New Year!

Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.

U.S. Bishops’ Migration Chairman Dismayed by Continued Reliance on Harmful Policies Over Humane Solutions

On January 5, 2023, the Biden Administration announced a series of migration-related policy decisions, including its intent to expand the use of Title 42, coupled with a new opportunity for a limited number of Nicaraguan, Cuban, and Haitian nationals who have U.S.-based financial sponsors to seek humanitarian parole to enter and work in the United States. Bishop Mark Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, issued a statement responding to these developments. “It simply defies reason and lived realities,” he said, “to require those facing persecution, trafficking, and torture to only pursue protection from within those potentially life-threatening situations.” Bishop Seitz concluded his statement by calling on the Administration to “reverse its present course in favor of humane solutions that recognize the God-given dignity of migrants and provide equitable access to immigration and humanitarian pathways.” 

This news story provides more information about the current situation at the southern border in the El Paso region.

USCCB/MRS Anti-Trafficking Newsletter: National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month  

The first issue of USCCB/MRS’ Anti-Trafficking newsletter was published earlier this week. In this issue we highlight National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which takes place every year in January, and anticipate the Feast Day of St. Josephine Bakhita (February 8). Each week this month USCCB/MRS will send out a weekly newsletter on meaningful topics to honor victims, spread awareness, and share information on the terrible evil of modern-day slavery. The weeks ahead provide an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and share resources, information, historical analysis, and other helpful tips to help end human trafficking. To receive the bi-monthly newsletter and other helpful resources, please send an email to Felicitas Brugo Onetti, Anti-Trafficking Education and Outreach Coordinator



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 January 5, 2023 CMS Migration Update, which includes: 

• DHS Extended and Redesignated Yemen for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months
• The CDC Announced That It Will Require Negative COVID-19 Tests from Travelers Coming from China to the United States
• The Supreme Court Issued Another Order to Temporarily Maintain Title 42 Restrictions Until It can Hear Arguments and Issue a Final Ruling
• Arizona Governor Agrees to Dismantle a Border Wall Made of Cargo Containers After the Biden Administration Sued Him for Trespassing on Federal Land and Environmental Damage

View the December 21, 2022 CMS Migration Update, which includes: 

• Congress Eliminated an Amendment from Its $1.7 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill That Would Have Created a Pathway to Permanent Residence for Nearly 73,000 Afghan Evacuees
• The Supreme Court Issued an Order to Temporarily Maintain Title 42 Restrictions after 19 States Requested an Emergency Stay of a Lower Court Decision to Block the Policy
• DHS’ Final Public Charge Rule Goes into Effect and a New Version of the Form I-485 Application Will Be Required as of December 23
• USCIS Published a Federal Register Notice Announcing That It Will Conduct a Trial of Planned Changes to the Naturalization Test with Volunteer CBOs

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 5 de enero, que incluye: 

• DHS Extendió y Redesignó a Yemen para el Estatus de Protección Temporal por 18 Meses
• El CDC anunció que requerirá pruebas negativas de COVID-19 a los viajeros que vienen de China a los Estados Unidos
• La Corte Suprema emitió otra orden para mantener temporalmente las restricciones del Título 42 hasta que pueda escuchar los argumentos y emitir una decisión final
• El gobernador de Arizona acuerda desmantelar un muro fronterizo hecho con contenedores de carga después de que la administración Biden lo demandó por allanamiento de tierras federales y daño ambiental

Ver la Actualización de Migración del CMS de 21 de diciembre, que incluye: 

• El Congreso eliminó una enmienda de su proyecto de ley de gastos generales de $1.7 billones que habría creado un camino hacia la residencia permanente para casi 73,000 evacuados afganos
• La Corte Suprema emitió una orden para mantener temporalmente las restricciones del Título 42 después de que 19 estados solicitaron una suspensión de emergencia de una decisión de la corte inferior para bloquear la política
• La regla final de carga pública del DHS entra en vigencia y se requerirá una nueva versión de la solicitud del Formulario I-485 a partir del 23 de diciembre
• USCIS Publicó un Aviso del Registro Federal Anunciando que Realizará una Prueba de Cambios Planeados a la Prueba de Naturalización con CBO Voluntarios



Migration-Related Stories, Op-Eds and Interviews by Catholic Bishops and Agency Executives 

Denver Catholic Editorial, Archdiocese of Denver:  

In the immigration conversation, language matters 

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, INC.:  

Proposed USCIS Fee Increases Are Unequitable and Unjust 

Notable New Publications, Reports, Films, Articles, Etc.

Center for Migration Studies:

Climate Migration and the Future of Immigration Policy in the United States 

Humans have always moved because of changes in their environment. Historically this meant following food or access to better resources, but today, for those displaced by slow-onset environmental degradation or profound environmental catastrophe, movement is necessary and life-saving – purportedly. As the conversation around migration adapts and evolves to take into consideration new drivers of migration, the notion of ‘climate-induced migration’ and ‘climate refugees’ has emerged as a leading concern for many developing countries. The United States released a detailed report on the topic of climate migration in October 2021, but even up until and following the COP27, not much has been put into action, as the definition of “refugee” remains outdated and international protection schemes have failed to evolve to accommodate those fleeing environmental crises. Read the report to learn more about this topic.

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.

• Center for Migration Studies Webinar: The Undercount of the US Undocumented Population in the 2020 American Community Survey and Lessons Learned from Ten Years of Democratizing Data, January 10, 2023 at 1 PM Eastern. Donald Kerwin and Robert Warren will discuss CMS’ Democratizing Data project and share key findings and policy recommendations from these reports. The webinar will also include remarks and policy analysis from CMS Interim Director, Kevin Appleby. CMS Publications and Events Manager, Melissa Katsoris, will moderate the discussion. Registration is required for this webinar.

• Beatitudes Center (Moro Bay, CA) Zoom Event: Quiet Prophecy: Another Kind of Protest, Janu 14, 2023 at 12 PM Eastern. Hear Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, President Emeritus of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX, for a zoom session, Quiet Prophecy: Another Kind of Protest for Social and Religious Transformation.  Fr. Ron will help us explore various aspects of the prophetic vocation for today’s world, including “Quiet Prophecy,” so that together, we can each do our part to prophetically proclaim God’s reign of peace and love to our poor world. Register today!

• Irish Community Services (Chicago) FREE Immigration Legal Clinics. We offer FREE 30-minute consultations with licensed immigration attorneys where you can ask questions and receive guidance about your immigration situation. Consultations take place by phone or video call. All information provided is confidential. You can contact Irish Community Services at 773-282-8445.

• World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal (August 1-6). World Youth Day (WYD) is the gathering of young people from all over the world with Pope Francis. It is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelization for the youth world. Although its Catholic identity is clearly evident, WYD opens its doors to everyone, no matter how close to or distant from the Church they are. See the event website for more information and how to attend WYD.

Blessings for the New Year,

Tony Cube

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.