21ST-CENTURY CATHOLICS

FALL 2018

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York is giving aid to refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants. You can help.

THE BIBLE IS VERY PLAIN ON THE QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION. In both the Old and New Testaments, we are enjoined to care for the stranger, the sojourner, the foreigner among us. In the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:35-45), Christ makes it clear: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance... For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

This much is not a question of politics: We Catholics must recognize that strangers in our country are children of God. As Christians, we have a duty to show them mercy and compassion. Just like us, they need food and shelter, freedom from fear and oppression. They love their children and their parents. They possess human dignity equal to that of any American citizen and are entitled to be treated accordingly.
 

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You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

– Exodus 22:21

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“All immigrants – whether they seek to reunify with family, escape violence or build a better future – bring the gift of their energy, skill and hopes,” says C. Mario Russell, director of the Immigrant and Refugee Services Division of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. “We honor the needs and respect the dignity of each individual, and in this way work toward building a just and compassionate society.”

Immigrant and Refugee Services reaches out to immigrants through monthly legal clinics held at different locations around the archdiocese, and immigration court help desks, where volunteers staff a table in a courthouse 10 times a month to assist people as they are making applications and preparing for hearings and interviews. In addition, the division operates the New Americans Hotline, where volunteers answer calls in more than 200 languages from people who may be facing deportation or have been defrauded by unscrupulous companies that promised to help them but only stole their money.

At the monthly clinics, applicants’ first point of contact is with a trained volunteer screener, who asks them about their immigration concerns and fills out an intake form. An attorney then asks more questions, explains the applicant’s rights, and lets them know whether they have an option for immigration relief. If they do, they may receive help filling out forms at a pro se workshop, or their case may be assigned to an attorney – either internally or through the pro bono team, which can arrange for outside counsel to take the case at no cost.

At any given time, the pro bono program has more than 100 cases in various stages. To date, it has helped hundreds of immigrants navigate the U.S. legal system and prevented numerous deportations for those qualified to remain in the U.S. Recently, there has been a particular focus on family separations and the protection of unaccompanied minors. The team is currently in the process of increasing its pool of lawyers to serve the rising numbers of people in need.

Volunteers are critical to all of these efforts. Recent stories of children separated from their parents have brought forth a number of attorneys and other volunteers who want to advocate for them, but help is still needed throughout the organization. Non-lawyers can receive training to serve as screeners, help-desk advisers and hotline operators. Bilingual volunteers are invaluable as translators at asylum hearings and teachers of English as a second language. Those who can’t commit to teach a class can volunteer to be conversation partners, giving clients a chance to practice their English-language skills.

Beyond the need for volunteers and resources, it’s critical that we cultivate an attitude of inclusion and acceptance among Americans. We need to recognize the humanity of all people, especially across lines of culture and ethnicity. As Pope Francis reminded us recently in a homily given on the Italian island of Lampedusa, God “needs us to fulfill his promise.... He needs our eyes to see the needs of our brothers and sisters.... He needs our hands to offer them help.”

Attorneys wishing to volunteer or sign on for pro bono work can contact Susan Marks at [email protected]. Non-attorneys can contact Lucia Goyen at [email protected]. Volunteer opportunities are also posted at catholiccharitiesnyvolunteer.org.