Faces of migration. Do you want true stories of migrating people to share in your community? Follow JFI on Twitter. You can also share your own story of migration. Migrating people are not statistics. They all have faces, names and personal histories.

Do you want an information hub about how to help for refugee children?  Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (BRYCS) aims to help families integrate into a new culture with a wealth of information and useful links. This is an indispensable tool box for refugee families and those helping them.

Deported to danger. What happens to those who are deported to El Salvador, especially those who are Salvadorians? Read this report from Human Rights Watch to understand the reality beyond the headlines.  

Do you really know what the new “public charge” rules mean to you? You may have heard of the new “public charge” rules, but do you understand them? Do you know how do they apply to you or people you work with? Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) provides a helpful page explaining the new rules. As always, consult an immigration attorney before taking any action that may affect your immigration status.

Supreme court allows “Public Charge” rule to go into effect. The administration’s proposed “Public Charge” rule could preclude immigrants who lawfully receive public welfare benefits from obtaining citizenship. A federal court had prohibited the administration from implementing the rule until its legality could be adjudicated. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, has allowed the implementation of the rule even though not yet fully reviewed by a court. The bishop chairs of the USCCB committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and Migration have expressed deep concern that this rule will deter families from seeking the food, medical care and other services they need. The bishops also urged those needing services to consult with service providers before refusing services. Read the full statement here.

“No More Deaths,” charity prevails. Members of the group “No More Deaths” were convicted in an Arizona federal court when they entered federal desert land to leave food and water for immigrants crossing the desert to enter the United States. The convictions were reversed, however, when the trespassers showed the court that they were acting out of sincerely held religious beliefs and that the government was not using the least intrusive remedy to protect government interests as required by the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Bishops oppose expanded travel bans. The administration has expanded travel restrictions to include those seeking to move to the United States from Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Eritrea, Burma and Kyrgyzstan. The chairs of several committees have opposed these additional bans as seriously detrimental to family unity. Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) has also registered it concerns.

Church celebrates the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita on February 8. Celebrate the live of St. Josephine Bakhita, born in Sudan and trafficked as a slave until she arrived in Italy where she converted to the Catholic faith, obtained freedom and entered the convent. Following a life of faith, she died in 1947 and was canonized in 2000. Pray for all those subjected to forced immigration today.

Human trafficking in Georgia. The Kemp administration, with the support of First Lady Marty Kemp, will be introducing legislation to reduce labor and sex trafficking in Georgia. Be prepared to discuss the issues as they relate to immigrants and other vulnerable populations with this backgrounder from Justice for Immigrants.

Justice for Immigrants does not throw away important information. JFI produces high quality and informative webinars related to immigration. If you missed any, search in their archives.

ICYMI Executive order has been enjoined. The Executive Order 13888 prohibited the longstanding refugee resettlement program in any state where the governor failed to sign a declaration that allowed the federal program in that state to continue. All, but five governors (including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp), signed the declaration; however, whether the declaration is signed or not a federal court has temporarily prohibited implementation of the executive order and the resettlement program can continue, even in Georgia.

The USCCB provides more information. Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, welcomed the court ruling in that it supported the unification of families as a primary factor in initial resettlement.

Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp and human trafficking. The Kemp Administration is raising the visibility of human trafficking in Georgia with several legislative proposals that will be publicly introduced in the next week. The Georgia Catholic Conference has supported legislation to reduce trafficking and to educate the vulnerable. Trafficking is a national and international issue. Read more background information prepared by the Justice for Immigrants campaign established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Another excellent resource for refugee services is provided by Bridging Refugee Children and Youth Services at https://brycs.org/.

Executive order has been enjoined. The Executive Order 13888 prohibited the longstanding refugee resettlement program in any state where the governor failed to sign a declaration that allowed the federal program in that state to continue. All, but five governors (including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp), signed the declaration; however, whether the declaration is signed or not a federal court has temporarily prohibited implementation of the executive order and the resettlement program can continue, even in Georgia.

The USCCB provides more information. Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, welcomed the court ruling in that it supported the unification of families as a primary factor in initial resettlement.

Show Hospitality to the Stranger. Speaking on the need for unity among Christians and all people, Pope Francis said that the gift of baptism “links and expands our hearts, and opens them to our neighbor, who is not an adversary but our beloved brother, our beloved sister.”

National Immigration Week was January 5 -10. While the official week is over, the need for solidarity and action remains. Bishop Mario Dorsonville, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington and Chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration, called on all “to prayerfully unite and live out the Holy Father’s vision to welcome immigrants and refugees into our communities and to provide opportunities that will help them and all people of good will to thrive.” Response to that call is needed throughout the year, not just for one week.  

Express Your Support for Refugee Resettlement in Georgia. On September 26, 2019, President Trump issued Executive Order 13888, which requires formal consent from a state governor and city mayor for continued refugee resettlement in Georgia. The written consent had been required by Friday, January 17. Governor Brian Kemp was one of a small handful of state governors who did not submit a consent. Nonetheless, a federal district court has issued an order prohibiting the implementation of this executive order. Thus, for the time being, the refugee resettlement program in Georgia can continue. It is still important to ask Governor Kemp to sign the necessary declaration. Email is the best way to contact the governor. The Catholic bishops of Georgia have written to Governor Kemp asking that he sign the declaration. For more information, click here.

Why (and How) Should We Advocate for Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees? The Jesuits have an answer. Put your own credibility on the line. See http://jesuitmigrantsolidarity.org/

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. In addition, Saturday, February 8 is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has designated that feast as a day of prayer and awareness of human trafficking, keeping in mind that migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to traffickers. Read more about how to honor this day here.

ICYMI – The Georgia General Assembly began its 2020 session on January 13. Please pray that legislators will act for the common good of everyone in Georgia and remember that the common good is not based on the desires of the majority. We must remember those on the margins. In theological terms, the common good is defined in Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Mater et Magistra (“On Christianity and Social Progress”) as “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.”