Pray the rosary for migrant vulnerable populations. Justice for Immigrants proposes five different sets of rosary meditations for migrant vulnerable populations. Wednesday is the day to pray for an end to human trafficking. The Archdiocese of Atlanta Justice and Peace Ministries has designated June as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Pray and learn from the information available here.

Victims of domestic abuse, family violence or child abuse. Even an immigrant, refugee or individual without documentation has rights if they are a victim of abuse. Catholic Charities Atlanta Immigration Legal Services provides low cost legal services and specializes in assisting survivors of domestic violence, abandoned or neglected foreign children, detained clients, and victims of trafficking and crimes. See more information here.

Coronavirus can affect anyone, but those without access to healthcare are especially vulnerable. Immigrants and refugees, particularly those serving on the frontlines, are vulnerable and need to know what is available. Justice for Immigrants offers valuable information on its resource pages. Educate yourself and share information with those who need it.

ICYMI – Anti-trafficking newsletter. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Migration and Refugee Services now has a newsletter bringing together important and useful information on sex and labor trafficking. Read it hot off the press.

ICYMI – Keep up to date. Justice for Immigrants offers current information delivered to your inbox. Sign up for their alerts today.  It is simple. Go to http://justiceforimmigrants.org and scroll to the bottom of any page, then fill out the form. You will get action alerts, webinar updates and more!

Anti-trafficking newsletter. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Migration and Refugee Services now has a newsletter bringing together important and useful information on sex and labor trafficking. Read it hot off the press.

How often have you heard we are all in this together? This has become a common phrase during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the “all” needs to include all those on the front lines whatever their legal status. Read the observations of Bishop Mario Dorsonville, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington and chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration.

Stranded in the United States. The current administration continues policies that strand asylum seekers, including parents with small children, in detention facilities in the United States, often in violation of federal and international law. Read a report, along with associated prayers, from Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) about the people who are affected.

ICYMI – What can DACA registrants do? As of today, the Supreme Court has not ruled on the question of whether the DACA program can be terminated by the current administration’s executive order although it is expected to do so in the near future. In the meantime, what should those who are eligible do? Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. offers brief advice, but those who need to take action should act without delay.  

Keep up to date. Justice for Immigrants offers current information delivered to your inbox. Sign up for their alerts today.  It is simple. Go to http://justiceforimmigrants.org and scroll to the bottom of any page, then fill out the form. You will get action alerts, webinar updates and more!

COVID-19 is still an issue. Ending shelter-in-place orders, resources for policy, education and prayer are still needed. Justice for Immigrants has expanded its COVID 19 resource page to

It’s quick and easy. It’s not too late. It’s secure. Respond today. An accurate census is important for our future apportionment of legislative representation and allocation of social benefits. Everyone counts whether documented or not. Respond online.

Many are sheltering, but traffickers are working. As the economy deteriorates, financial pressure increases on the poor, especially the immigrant poor. Human traffickers seek out those in need to exploit them in their weakness. Keep trafficking victims in mind and study JFI’s Human Trafficking Tool Kit. As Pope Francis has said, “Human trafficking is a crime against all humanity. We must unite our efforts to free victims and stop this crime.”

U.S. citizens married to immigrants are not getting stimulus checks. The recently passed federal CARES Act provides for checks up to $1,200.00 to U.S citizens but citizens married to immigrants who do not have social security numbers and their children do not get a check even though some of those immigrants are working in essential services.

UPDATE: The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund has sued the federal government over its denial of coronavirus relief payments to U.S. citizens who are married to immigrants without social security numbers. It is estimated that two million citizens or lawful permanent residents are impacted.

ICYMI – Pray the rosary for migrating peoples. CLINIC offers an explanation of the rosary and invites Catholics and individuals of good will to join in praying the rosary with meditations related to migrants.

Keep up to date on immigration developments. Sign up for the latest immigration alerts by heading to the Justice for Immigrants website. Scroll to the bottom of ANY page and fill out the form. You will receive the Week in Review, updates on action alerts, backgrounders webinars and more!

Request a ballot. Voting by mail is a two-step process. You must first mail a request for a ballot and, when you receive it, you need to complete the form and mail it before the election date. If you are eligible to vote, be sure to complete both steps to have your vote counted. See instructions here.

DACA, the Supreme Court and COVID-19. The United States Supreme Court has heard oral arguments and is scheduled to issue a decision which may allow the Trump Administration to end the DACA program and subject 800,000 registrants to the risk of deportation. Some legal scholars are asking the court to postpone the decision since thousands of DACA registrants are in the frontlines of service in health professions, agriculture, emergency services and related activities necessary to protect society during the coronavirus pandemic. Read one of their stories here.

DACA registrants are encouraged to explore other avenues of lawful presence in the United States or naturalized citizenship.

Call your lawyer. If you are represented by an attorney, it is important to keep in touch. With so many changes due to social distancing and isolation, do not assume that an immigration court case will be postponed. Many immigration courts are open and rights can be lost if you fail to appear in the court as scheduled. Ask your lawyer when your case is scheduled.

Don’t forget to pray. Our own dioceses provide resources for the time of
COVID-19 isolation: Atlanta and Savannah.  Pray also for migrants: CLINIC.

What immigrant supportive activities can I do at home? Even while isolated at home, there are ways to support immigrants.

Request a ballot. Voting by mail is a two-step process. You must first mail a request for a ballot and, when you receive the ballot, complete the form and mail it before the election date. If you are eligible to vote, be sure to complete both steps to have your vote counted. See instructions here.  

Complete the census questionnaire. Every resident of the United States must be counted in the 2020 census, including those who are not documented. The results of the census determine representation in Congress and the allocation of many federal benefits. Only one person in a household needs to complete the form for all persons living there. If you have not been counted, the official questionnaire can be completed on line at https://my2020census.gov/. Read this information about the protection of your personal information.

Stay up to date on immigration and refugee issues related to COVID-19. Keep yourself and those around you safe. Justice for Immigrants provides updated information directed to the particular issues related to the effects of COVID-19 on immigrants and refugees.

Naturalization can be processed remotely. For those eligible for naturalized citizenship, the process can be accomplished remotely. Help yourself or seek those who can help. There is no need to wait because of isolation or quarantine.

Sponsoring an unaccompanied child out of federal custody is a great service of justice. If you are considering sponsoring an unaccompanied minor out of federal custody during this time of COVID-19 crisis, read this information from CLINIC. 

ICYMI – Return to the office better informed. In addition to working remotely, use time at home to increase your knowledge of immigration issues. Justice for Immigrants maintains an online archive of webinars. Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) also offers a variety of toolkits to broaden your knowledge of ways to help immigrants and refugees.

Immigrants are among the COVID-19 heroes. There are many well deserved comments directed toward those in the forefront of the battle against the suffering caused by the coronavirus, but keep in mind and in your prayers the many immigrants serving in the medical professions, 29 percent of all physicians and 38 percent of home health aides are foreign born. At the same time, the foreign born are substantial parts of other service industries which are being affected hard by the spread of coronavirus, including, hospitality, construction, home service and child care. See this page from the Migration Policy Institute with its downloadable fact sheet. Immigration policy has, in fact, become a crisis within a crisis. Learn more here. Unfortunately, the federal stimulus provides virtually nothing for the undocumented even though their susceptibility to the coronavirus can spread infection.

Return to the office better informed. In addition to working remotely, use time at home to increase your knowledge of immigration issues. Justice for Immigrants maintains an online archive of webinars. Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) also offers a variety of toolkits to broaden your knowledge of ways to help immigrants and refugees.

A loved one in detention? There is always concern when a loved one is in immigration detention, but fear increases dramatically as coronavirus spreads. Migrant Freedom has launched a #COVID19 Detention Hotline. Advocates and loved ones can call to confidentially report on conditions inside ICE jails and prisons. Dial 209-757-3733 to connect with a hotline volunteer.

ICYMI -What do you want to know about COVID-19 and immigrants? Refugees and immigrants, whether documented or not, are at greater risk than others from the COVID-19 pandemic. All refugees, immigrants and others who lack health insurance and access to affordable health care often cannot get the testing or treatment that would protect them and their family members. Also, all those who have limited resources are likely to go to work even when they have symptoms of the disease and expose others to infection. Justice for Immigrants has pulled together resource links to help refugees, migrants and their supporters with accurate information.