Immigrants Archives

Pope calls for an end to ‘collective and arbitrary’ expulsion of migrants
- Vatican
- August 21, 2017
In a message for the Vatican-sponsored “World Day of Migrants and Refugees,” set for Jan. 14, Pope Francis called the “lamentable situation” of migrants and refugees fleeing war, persecution, natural disasters and poverty a “sign of the times,” and called for nations to rise up to the challenge of “Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants and refugees.”
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Health care prescription? Regroup, cooperate, Catholic health leaders say
- Catholic News Service, Church in the US
- July 20, 2017
Catholic health care leaders expressed relief after the bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act failed to garner support in the U.S. Senate. Opponents of the bill criticized the fact that the new health care program would leave many uninsured, did not consider immigrants and lacked sufficient conscience protections.
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Border bishop denounces hateful words, militarization of border
- Catholic News Service, Church in the US
- July 19, 2017
In a pastoral letter on migration, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, encouraged faithful to welcome immigrants and refugees and acknowledge their plight. To people coming into the U.S. the bishop said not to be afraid and to remember that “We stand with you!”
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Church officials upset that Myanmar won’t allow UN fact-finders

Myanmar’s government has refused to allow members of a U.N. fact-finding mission to enter the country in order to investigate human rights abuses against the Rohingya minority. Vatican officials have spoken out against the country’s decision to put international politics first and human rights later.

Bishop who is immigrant praises newcomers to U.S. for ‘courageous spirit’

“People don’t appreciate how much courage it takes to be an immigrant,” says Portland Auxiliary Bishop Peter L. Smith, a native of South Africa. He survived a laborious 13-year process to become a naturalized citizen of the United States and understands from personal experience some of the difficulties.

Half sib? Welcome. Fiance? Not so fast. New travel ban rules decried as illogical

Immigration advocates say rules issued by the Trump Administration on enforcement of a Supreme Court ruling on the so-called “travel ban” from 6 majority-Muslim countries will create the same suffering that families endured before federal judges originally issued injunctions against the ban.