On Nov. 12, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) heard oral arguments on the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its attempted rescission by the Trump Administration. Decisions by SCOTUS on these cases aren’t anticipated until early summer 2020. In the meantime, the futures of approximately 800,000 young people in the U.S. who have qualified and enrolled in the DACA program and their families, many of whom are Catholic, hang in the balance.
Related: Read the USCCB statement issued Nov. 12
Review the amicus brief in support of DACA recipients submitted by the U.S. bishops and other institutional Catholic and Evangelical partners on Oct. 4, 2019.
How Catholics can help/Cómo pueden ayudar los católicos
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Migration and Refugee Services are encouraging Catholics to engage with this situation in three ways:
- Learn (DACA: What Should I Do Now? | DACA: ¿Qué Debo Hacer Ahora? | DACA Q & A)
- And pray (Suggested Intercessions | Intercesiones sugeridas | Prayer for Migrant Children)
- Begin conversations with lawmakers, particularly senators, now. (Send this Action Alert to your Senator)
- Host or take part in Masses, prayer services, and/or community dialogue to raise awareness and support DACA recipients and their families during this difficult time:
Events in our Diocese/Eventos en nuestra Diócesis
Prayer Vigil for DACA/Vigilia de Oración para DACA – Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Join Father Jose Quintana at the Shrine of St. Francis Xavier and Our Lady of Guadalupe, (250 Brown St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI) for a prayer vigil with DACA recipients and their families as the intention.
(Details/Detalles | Facebook Event/Evento de Facebook)
Our Lady of Guadalupe Procession/Procesión de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe – Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, 5 p.m.
The public is invited to participate in a procession on the vigil of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec. 12) to honor our Blessed Mother through prayer and singing. The procession between two Grand Rapids churches will begin at Our Lady of Sorrows (101 Hall St. SE, Grand Rapids) and conclude at the Shrine of St. Francis Xavier and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Participants should gather at 5 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows where they will be given directions and hospitality before leaving for the Shrine. (en Español)
Advocacy/Abogacía
From November 2019 until Spring 2020, while the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates, it is vital to encourage Congress to act to provide Dreamers with a path to citizenship. As the House passed H.R. 6 which includes a path to citizenship for Dreamers, we ask that you turn your attention to your Senators and urge them to stand in support of Dreamers by supporting legislative protection for Dreamers generally and the Dream Act of 2019 specifically. If DACA does not withstand SCOTUS scrutiny, it’s like that Congress will look to replace DACA in a matter of a few weeks because 2020 is a Presidential election year.
Send this Action Alert to your Senator
Sign up for important Action Alerts from Justice for Immigrants
Immigration Legal Services in the Diocese/Servicios Legales de Inmigración en la Diócesis
The Immigration Legal Services (ILS) Office provides low-cost legal representation in immigration matters to those in our community whose household incomes fall below 200% of the poverty line. During fiscal year 2018-19, ILS managed 1,160 cases, 96 of which were DACA related.
Learn more about ILS services and fees | Obtenga más información sobre los servicios y tarifas de ILS
Additional Resources/Recursos Adicionales
From Justice for Immigrants
From Migration and Refugee Services (Questions and Answers about DACA)
Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration (USCCB) | Immigration and Refugees (Michigan Catholic Conference)
