Our ministry of support and advocacy for Hispanic immigrants is rooted in the Gospel and in the rich tradition of Catholic social teaching, summarized in the five principles that guide the Church’s approach to migration: 

 

• Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland.

All persons have the right to find in their own countries the economic, political, and social opportunities to live in dignity and achieve a full life through the use of their God-given gifts.

 

• Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families.

When persons cannot find employment in their country of origin to support themselves and their families, they have a right to find work elsewhere in order to survive.

 

• Sovereign nations have the right to control their borders.

The Church recognizes the right of sovereign nations to control their territories but rejects such control when it is exerted merely for the purpose of acquiring wealth. Powerful economic nations, which have the ability to protect and feed their residents, have a strong obligation to accommodate migration flows.

 

• Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection.

Those who flee wars and persecution should be protected by the global community. This requires, at a minimum, that migrants have a right to claim refugee status without incarceration.

 

• The human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected.

Regardless of their legal status, migrants, like all persons, possess inherent human dignity that should be respected.

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Guided by the USCCB's Justice for Immigrants Campaign, we strive to be an active and effective voice for our immigrant brothers and sisters.