Migration Policy

Who We Are

Migration and Refugee Services is charged with assisting the bishops in the development and promotion of migration policy positions within the context of the Church's social teaching. To this end MRS works with grassroots Catholic networks across the US to promote fair immigration and refugee policies, advocates for the passage of immigration reform, engages in the fight against human trafficking, develops initiatives aimed at educating Catholics on the Church's teaching on migration, and assists the U.S. Catholic bishops in carrying the voice of the Church to Congress and the Administration.

What We Do

Relying on a well-developed, theoretical and moral framework to inform their policy perspective, MRS pursues advocacy efforts through a number of different concrete avenues. These include:

• The development and distribution of policy position papers that highlight areas of importance to the bishops that are deserving of further attention;
• The planning and carrying out of fact finding trips to regions of the world that are experiencing political and social upheaval and which are under threat of undergoing a refugee or other migration related crisis. In recent years the bishops have taken trips to the Middle East, East Africa, and Haiti, and have published reports that provide policy proposals to address problems that they found;
• Public statements on a range of issues related to migration and the provision of Congressional Testimony urging Congress to pass humane timely legislation that will provide needed protections to migrant populations;
• Implementation of a wide range of national educational initiatives, including National Migration Week , that seek to change hearts and minds and challenges Catholics and other people of good faith to embrace the Church's vision on migration;
• Involvement in a wide range of coalitions that work to realize migrant friendly legislation that provides protections for the most vulnerable among us: migrant children and women, undocumented migrants, and victims of human trafficking.

How You Can Help

Learn more about the populations served by Migration and Refugee Services:

• Immigrants
• Refugees
• Migrant and Refugee Children
• Human Trafficking Victims

Explore documents and resources which inform the Church's policy work on migration

• Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, / Juntos en El Camino de la Esperanza Ya No Somos Extranjeros - A joint pastoral letter from the Bishops of the United States and Mexico which integrates Scriptural and social teaching into a cohesive vision that informs the bishops' advocacy efforts. 
• Welcoming the Stranger Among Us:  Unity in Diversity

Take action in solidarity with immigrants, migrants, refugees and people on the move 

• Join the Justice for Immigrants Campaign
• Parish Organizing Guide in Support of the Justice for Immigrants Campaign
• Send a Post Card to Congress in Support of Compassionate and Humane Immigration Reform

Most Recent Policy Issues

Testimony of Most Reverend Archbishop Gomez Before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Comprehensive Immigration Reform February 12, 2013

Mission to the Middle East: Report of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Syrian Refugees October 2012

Migration and Refugee Services in the News

MyMembership

YourMembership is for diocesan staff working in partnership with USCCB/MRS to provide services to refugees and migrants and others on the move.  It provides program-specific information, resources, and trainings as well as broader resources to support this ministry. Login here.