Catholic Charities helps all those in need regardless of their status or situation. Our Church has always served our immigrant community who has always added to the development of the American dream and promise. The current political environment is very troubling and we echo the concern expressed by our Bishops in their recent pastoral statement.

We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants.

The federal crackdown on migrants has left many in fear of detention and deportation. Catholic Charities agencies like our own work to provide these famines with legal services to navigate these uncertain times. We must continue to care for these families, many of whom have young children, no matter what roadblocks the federal government puts in place. We ask you to fund these critical programs during this difficult period.

• Please pass the New York for All Act  (A3506/S2235). This act will prohibit state and local resources from being diverted to federal authorities.
• Invest $175M in immigration legal services and pass the Access to Representation Act (A270/S141) and Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense Act (A2689/S4538) to help our efforts to protect immigrant families in the face of Trump’s mass deportation crackdown.
• Please support the Governor's proposal to amend the Civil Rights Law that would include sensitive locations from civil immigration enforcement, absent a judicial warrant, including schools, daycare, hospitals and houses of worship.

These programs will help us support our migrant families and promote the stabilization and development of our own communities.