Catholics Against Racism in Immigration

In March 2022, NETWORK Lobby and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) launched Catholics Against Racism in Immigration (CARI), a new initiative and task force to build Catholic voices to oppose systemic racism in the U.S. immigration system.

Together, CARI member organizations will create a pro-active agenda, uplifting the work of Black, Asian, Indigenous, and other immigrant-led organizations. CARI membership is open to Catholic-affiliated organizations committed to and active in anti-racist work in immigration.

Our Positions on Immigration Issues

Letter to House Members: On May 10, 2023, 14 Catholic organizations that serve immigrants and asylum seekers asked Members of the House of Representatives to VOTE NO on H.R. 2 Secure the Border Act of 2023. We oppose this bill because it will criminalize immigrant children and their families, and it will harm faith based organizations and our ability to serve our communities. The full letter appears below.

Final catholic statement against H.R 2 Secure the border act

Letter to House Members: On April 6, 2023, Catholic organizations working on behalf of migrants and asylum seekers, urged President Biden to end the practice of requiring CBP One app appointments as the primary means of accessing ports of entry for asylum and to rescind other restrictions that continue to limit the right to seek asylum at the U.S. southern border and harm our border communities. Read the Catholic Letter on Ciudad Juarez and Asylum Ban.

NETWORK News: Catholic Lobby Opposes Administration’s Asylum Ban Rule and House Border Bill

Immigration and Racial Justice: Here's What We're Talking About

About

CARI is a Task Force founded by NETWORK Lobby and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) in 2022 to build Catholic voices against racism in immigration. Ronnate Asirwatham, NETWORK Government Relations Advocate, manages CARI.

Activities

Each member organization, through their own missions and scopes of work, will incorporate an active agenda aimed at lifting up the work of Black, Asian, Indigenous, and other immigrant-led organizations. Activities will include but not be limited to:

Attending coalition meetings and engaging directly with impacted community-led organizations to be up-to-date on priorities and how CARI can be a resource and provide support;
Amplifying and participating in grassroots and grasstops actions;
Strategic communications (such as press releases and social media); and
Organizing individual Catholics and Catholic organizations to participate in actions against racism in immigration.

Member Organizations

Mission Statement

Called by and following Catholic social teaching, Catholics Against Racism in Immigration (CARI) is a broad Catholic task force taking action against systemic racism in the U.S. immigration system.

New Members Welcome

Is your organization opposed to racism in immigration?

In July 2022, Catholics Against Racism in Immigration (CARI), hosted their first online webinar: Confronting Racism: What People of Faith Can Learn from the Experience of Haitian Asylum-Seekers at the US/Mexico Border. The event featured stories at the border told by Haitian immigrants. Watch the webinar below.