About the Campaign

Justice for Newcomers; A Catholic Call for Solidarity and Reform represents the response of Catholic Charities USA and our members to the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops campaign for immigration reform: Justice for Immigrants: A Journey of Hope.

As a national partner in the Bishops' campaign, Catholic Charities USA and its members bring the experiences and challenges that are faced by the immigrant people that we serve every day. The Bishops' campaign is “designed to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of good faith in support of a broad legalization program and comprehensive immigration reform.” The goal of Justice for Newcomers: A Catholic Call for Solidarity and Reform is to specifically mobilize the members of Catholic Charities and those we serve.

In June 2004, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration and The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, INC. (CLINIC) Board of Directors resolved to make comprehensive immigration reform, with special emphasis on legalization, a major public policy priority within the Church. Many other national Catholic institutions have also made legalization a policy priority.

As part of the Church’s response, a diverse group of Catholic organizations with national networks have decided to join the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants: A Journey of Hope campaign designed to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of good faith in support of a broad legalization program and comprehensive immigration reform. Its goal will be to maximize the Church’s influence on this issue, consistent with the immigration reform principles enunciated in the bishops’ pastoral letter.

Additionally, the bishops recognize that the conditions that compel people to leave their homes out of desperation and lack of opportunities to provide for themselves and their families, must be addressed if an effective and comprehensive response to migration is to be achieved. Therefore, the Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform will work closely with the Catholic Campaign against Global Poverty , initiated by the USCCB Office of International Justice and Peace and Catholic Relief Services. That Campaign aims to reduce poverty through trade, aid and debt reforms. The Immigration Reform and Global Poverty campaigns are integrally related in that one addresses the rights and needs of migrants in the U.S., while the other addresses the rights and needs of persons living in their native countries.

The Campaign aims to reach beyond the networks of the participating national agencies, and to enlist the support of Catholic individuals and institutions in dioceses throughout the country. Catholic Charities USA is a participating member in this campaign.