"Biblical revelation urges us to welcome the stranger; it tells us that in so doing, we open our doors to God, and that in the faces of others we see the face of Christ himself." Pope Francis, 9/12/15
Diocese of Raleigh Support
The Diocese of Raleigh provides various forms of assistance for parishes and individuals who would like to be involved in making our immigrant brothers and sisters feel welcome. If you would like to be involved, please contact the Immigration Resources Team.
USCCB Principles for Just Immigration Reform
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops supports immigration reform that is comprehensive in nature and that facilitates the following goals:
- Provides a path to citizenship for undocumented persons in our country;
- Preserves family unity as a corner-stone of our national immigration system;
- Provides legal paths for low-skilled immigrant workers to come and work in the United States;
- Restores due process protections to our immigration enforcement policies; assurance that our laws are enforced in ways that recognize the importance the sanctity of the human person, the incomparable value of the family and maintains the integrity of our national borders;
- Addresses the root causes of migration, such as persecution and economic disparity.
Catholic Charities Plan for Assisting with Immigration Relief Applications
Catholic Charities, as the social service arm of the Diocese of Raleigh, provides services for vulnerable people within eastern North Carolina as we believe Christ would have us do. As He stated in Matthew 25, 'Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' We have personnel accredited by the Department of Justice, a branch of the Board of Immigration Appeals, to legally practice immigration law before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the immigration courts. We assist individuals and families to follow the established immigration laws, and we help them to submit documents for improving their immigration status or reunifying with their family members
Additionally, Catholic Charities assists individuals and families who are eligible for obtaining Lawful Permanent Residence, Naturalization or Citizenship, and for those youth brought as infants in maintaining their Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). For more information, visit the Catholic Charities website.