News Archives » migration
USCCB Delegation Examines Massive Youth Exodus from Central America January 27th, 2014
A delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently traveled to Central America and Mexico to examine and understand why unaccompanied migrant children are fleeing the region in such record numbers.
The situation has reached crisis level. Whereas the number of children apprehended on the U.S./Mexico border averaged 6,800 between 2004-2011, it jumped to over 13,000 children in 2012 and over 24,000 children in 2013. The projected number for fiscal year 2014 is 60,000-70,000. Most come from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
There are many factors that prompt these children to undertake such a perilous journey, and the delegation delves into those in their report. But simply put, these children are fleeing violence: generalized violence at both the state and local levels, which has led to a breakdown of the rule of law and created a culture of fear and hopelessness.
The delegation was led by Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, and included Jeanne Atkinson, Executive Director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC); Reverend Daniel Groody, Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame, and consultant to the USCCB Committee on Migration; Jane Bloom, Director, Washington Office of the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC); Kristyn Peck, Associate Director of Children’s Services, MRS/USCCB; Ashley Feasley, Immigration Policy Advisor, MRS/ USCCB; and Kevin Appleby, Director of Migration Policy and Public Affairs, MRS/USCCB.
Here are the full findings and recommendations.
World Migration Report 2013 September 26th, 2013
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has published its annual report on migration, World Migration Report, 2013: Migrant Well-being and Development. This comprehensive look at migration patterns and the well being of migrants is available as a PDF download from the IOM website. It is available in English, French and Spanish.
According to the IOM website, “Many reports linking migration and development concentrate on the broad socioeconomic consequences of migratory processes, and the impact of migration on the lives of individuals can easily be overlooked. In contrast, the WMR 2013 focuses on migrants as persons, exploring how migration affects quality of life and human development across a broad range of dimensions.”
Oblate Parish in Roma, Texas Celebrates National Immigration Week January 18th, 2012
Parishioners at Our Lady of Refuge Parish in Roma, Texas commemorated National Immigration Week (Jan 8-14) with a homily on immigration and prayers for refugees and immigrants. The parish staff also used the bulletin insert provided by the USCCB and encouraged everyone to take it home and use it in prayer all week. The issue of immigration is a story close to home for many of the parishioners at Our Lady of Refuge. The parish is very close the Rio Grande River and members include large landowners, local government officials and immigrant families whose relatives may have faced detention and deportation issues before. Thanks to Fr. Bob Wright OMI for leading the parish into celebrating National Immigration Week.
Papal Message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees January 12th, 2012
World Day of Migrants and Refugees is January 15th
Copies of the Pope’s message, entitled ‘Migration and New Evangelization’, can be accessed in English, Spanish, French and Italian. Click on the links to access the documents:
Bishops Speak Out on Migration Issues July 7th, 2011
In June, the Catholic Bishops from North America, Central America and the Caribbean met in Costa Rica to discuss migration in the region.
The bishops raised concerns about the increased violence against and kidnapping of migrants by organized crime, the increase in deportations between the United States and Mexico, the tragedy of human trafficking and growing economic inequality. The Bishops also urged continued support for the recovery of Haiti.
Please find attached the final statement of the bishops in English and Spanish – outlining priority concerns regarding the level of violence and kidnapping of migrants, threats against Church personnel working with them, the need to prioritize economic and development alternatives.
A full text of the joint statement in English can be found at: http://www.txcatholic.org/index.php/news/216-regional-bishops-issue-joint-statement-on-migration
A Spanish version is also available: http://www.usccb.org/mrs/regional-consultation-on-migration-2011-espanol.pdf
