Immigration

Office of Social Justice and Environmental Advocacy

The United States of America was created and built by immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Welcoming the stranger, the widow, and the orphan was, and still is, a foundation of our Judeo/Christian faith heritage. Our time-honored Statue of Liberty memorializes America’s value of welcoming huddled masses yearning to be free. These core principles are as important to our future as they were our past. The Daughters of Charity in the US respond to the cries of today’s poor and huddled masses seeking a safer and more secure way of life.

Immigration Advocacy Stance

Our Corporate Stance on Immigration Advocacy

We the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of the United States and Canada — embracing Biblical tradition and Catholic Social Teaching — commit to promoting policies and actions in our society that welcome, protect, promote and integrate immigrants.*

We will do this by . .

Educating ourselves and others by:
- learning about the issues faced by immigrants
- offering opportunities for others to learn with us to increase empathy
- drawing attention to root causes of immigration and the local issues in our communities
Acting with our legislators against unjust policies by advocating for:
- an immigration process that keeps families together and includes a path to citizenship
- comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform
- due process for all immigrants
- the protection of human rights for immigrants at the border, in detention and those living without legal documentation in the US
- an increase in the number of persons allowed to immigrate each year.
Collaborating with others to:
- combat racism and promote justice for immigrants
- celebrate the cultural richness of immigrants
- create networks which support immigrants in all stages of their process
- seek opportunities to welcome, accompany and support immigrants using the resources we have to offer
Praying in solidarity with immigrants

Immigration Reform Stance

Our Corporate Stance on Immigration Reform

Establishes a compassionate and attainable pathway to full citizenship, without having to leave the USA, for foreign-born nationals residing in the USA
Promotes reunification of families by making effective the naturalization process, increasing the number of family visas and reducing the waiting times for family reunification
Eliminates the detention of children
Outlines a future worker program to permit foreign-born workers to enter the country safely and legally and includes workplace protections and living wages
Focuses law enforcement on those who truly threaten public safety, e.g., drug and human traffickers, smugglers and would-be terrorists, in a targeted, proportional and humane manner
Addresses the root causes of immigration and directs the government to establish long-term solutions involving trade policies, international economic aid, debt relief, wage disparities, taxes and tariffs

Rooted in these principles, we commit ourselves to . . .

Expose, through education and advocacy, the impact of current and proposed legislation for asylum seekers, other aspiring Americans, immigrant workers, and their families
Utilize public forums to boldly speak out on the behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters
Publicly pray for justice for our immigrant brothers and sisters in parish churches and social gatherings
Continue to educate ourselves and others about immigration and seek to understand facts, as opposed to myths, about immigration
Support and advocate for legislation that will ensure the elements in the above position statement by contacting our legislators and encouraging others to do so

Statements & Sign-Ons

Public Statements

Support of Dreamer Act

Support for extension of TPS for El Salvadorans

Support of TPS for Haitians

Organizational Sign-Ons

2022

2-23 Letter urging DHS/DOJ to rescind the “Security Bars and Processing” rule.

2021

2-24 Letter to President Biden to stop Deportations and Expulsions of those applying for asylum.

2-24 Letter to Congress to request the halting of Haitian and other Caribbean Country citizens expulsions during Covid.

3-24 Letter to President Biden from members of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition requesting inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for essential immigrant workers and their families, Dreamers, and TPS holders in the upcoming infrastructure and jobs package (Build Back Better package).

4-13 Letter to Congress in support of the updated NO BAN Act to protect against Executive action banning persons of specific religions or citizens of specific countries from entry into the USA. 4-13 Letter To President Biden in support for the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act )NO BAN Act) (H.R. 1333).

5-6 Letter in support The Health Equity and Access under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act.

6-15 Faith groups letter to Bishop Conferences asking the U.S., Mexican, Salvadoran, Honduran, and Guatemalan Bishops to speak out for migrants with one united regional voice.

8-5 Letter sent to President Biden and Congress to provide protection under US law for persons who migrate because of climate disasters.

8-26 Faith Letter Sign On: Urge Biden to Support Afghans in Danger.

9-3 Catholic letter calling on President Biden to end the misuse of Title 42.

9-24 Interfaith Letter to the Biden administration advocating for a halting of deportation flights to Haiti, holding CBP officers accountable for their abuses, ending Title 42 expulsions, and providing humanitarian protections for Haitians.

11-2 Catholic Appeal to Biden Administration and Congress for Climate action. Letter was also sent to the Vatican.

12-9 Joint letter to Presidents Biden and López Obrador calling for an immediate, complete end to the Migrant Protection Protocols and fair access to asylum for all.

2020

1-24 Endorsement of Faith4Asylum campaign in support of asylees right to petition and be received into the US while their case is being heard

2-24 Letter to Secretary of HHS Daca Exclusion from ACA

2-25 Letter to congress – NO BAN Act – rescind executive order to ban refugees, asylees, and immigrants based on religion

3-23 Sign-on letter to DHS about the illegality of the U.S. Government’s stated intention to expel asylum seekers

4-7 Letter to federal leaders to Protect Asylum Seekers + All Immigrants during COVID-19 Crisis

4-24 Letter to Education Sec. Betsy Devos for access to Covid19 Aid for Undocumented Students

5-13 Letter to Congress in support of the Health Equity & Access under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Women & Families Act The HEAL Act reflects the principle that access to health care should not depend on immigration status

5-27 Support Bipartisan Resolution Commemorating the Refugee Act of 1980

6-5 Letter administration: Detention and Deportation Policies in COVID-19 Fly in Face of Our Faith Values

8-20 Support for extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese refugees.

8-20 Letter to then VP Biden urging him to commit to extending Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for over 2.2 million people on day one of his presidency.

11-07 Letter to Biden and Becerra – request to restore aca access for DACA recipients in light of covid-19.

11-30 Letter to Biden – Root Causes of Migration Policy Framework.

Resources

Ready to Join Us?

Take the First Step and Get Involved.

Pray | Participate | Sign Petitions | Volunteer

The following are a sample of the kinds of resources available to you online to get engaged, educate yourself, and share resources.

For more information regarding Advocacy Initiatives of the Daughters of Charity Province of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, please contact:

Rachel Moccia rachel.moccia@doc.org