logo
Faith leaders hope bill will stop the loss of thousands of clergy from abroad serving US communities

Faith leaders hope bill will stop the loss of thousands of clergy from abroad serving US communities

Faith leaders across the U.S. are hoping a bipartisan bill, recently introduced in the U.S. Senate and House, might finally bring resolution to an immigration issue that has been hindering their service to their communities for more than two years.
In March 2023, the Biden administration made a sudden change in how the government processes green cards in the category that includes both abused minors and religious workers. It created new backlogs that threaten the ability of thousands of pastors, nuns, imams, cantors and others to remain in the United States.
The bill only tackles one small part of the issue, which sponsoring lawmakers hope will increase its chances of passing even as immigration remains one of the most polarizing issues in the country.
Faith leaders say even a narrow fix will be enough to prevent damaging losses to congregations and to start planning for the future again.
'Unless there is a change to current practice, our community is slowly being strangled,' said the Rev. Aaron Wessman, vicar general and director of formation for the Glenmary Home Missioners, a small Catholic order ministering in rural America.
'I will weep with joy if this legislation passes," he said. "It means the world for our members who are living in the middle of uncertainty and for the people they'll be able to help.'
Two thirds of Glenmary's priests and brothers under 50 years old are foreign-born — mostly from Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria and Uganda — and they are affected by the current immigration snag, Wessman added.
So are thousands of others who serve the variety of faiths present in the United States, from Islam to Hinduism to evangelical Christianity, providing both pastoral care and social services.
No exact numbers exist, but it is estimated that there are thousands of religious workers who are now backlogged in the green card system and/or haven't been able to apply yet.
How clergy get green cards — and why border crossings created backlogs
Congregations bring to the United States religious workers under temporary visas called R-1, which allow them to work for up to five years. That used to be enough time for the congregations to petition for green cards under a special category called EB-4, which would allow the clergy to become permanent residents.
Congress sets a quota of green cards available per year divided in categories, almost all based on types of employment or family relationships to U.S. citizens. In most categories, the demand exceeds the annual quota.
Citizens of countries with especially high demand get put in separate, often longer 'lines' — for several years, the most backlogged category has been that of married Mexican children of U.S. citizens, where only applications filed more than 24 years ago are being processed.
Also in a separate line were migrant children with 'Special Immigrant Juvenile Status' — neglected or abused minors — from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Hundreds of thousands sought humanitarian green cards or asylum after illegally crossing into the U.S. since the mid-2010s, though the Trump administration recently cracked down on the program.
In March 2023, the State Department suddenly started adding the minors to the general green card queue with the clergy. That has created such a bottleneck that in April, only halfway through the current fiscal year, those green cards became unavailable.
And when they will become available in the new fiscal year starting in October, they are likely to be stuck in the six-year backlog they faced earlier this year — meaning religious workers with a pending application won't get their green cards before their five-year visas expire and they must leave the country.
In a report released Thursday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services blamed the EB-4 backlogs on the surge in applications by minors from Central America, and said the agency found widespread fraud in that program.
A 'narrow fix' bill to allow foreign-born clergy to remain in the US
The Senate and House bills would allow the Department of Homeland Security to extend religious workers' visas as long as their green card application is pending. They would also prevent small job changes — such as moving up from associate to senior pastor, or being assigned to another parish in the same diocese — from invalidating the pending application.
'Even as immigration issues are controversial and sometimes they run afoul of partisan politics, we think this fix is narrow enough, and the stakeholder group we have is significant enough, that we're hoping we can get this done,' said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who introduced the Senate bill in April after hearing about the issue in his Richmond parish.
Two of the last three priests there were foreign-born, he said, and earlier this month he was approached by a sister with the Comboni missionaries worried about her expiring visa. Kaine's two Republican cosponsors, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Jim Risch of Idaho, heard from voters worried about losing many faith leaders.
'It adds to their quality of life. And there's no reason they shouldn't have the ability to have this,' Risch said. 'Religious beliefs spread way beyond borders, and it is helpful to have these people who … want to come here and want to associate with Americans of the same faith. And so anything we can do to make that easier, is what we want to do.'
Republican Rep. Mike Carey of Ohio, with Republican and Democratic colleagues, introduced an identical bill in the House. Both bills are still in the respective judiciary committees.
'To be frank, I don't know what objections people could have,' said Lance Conklin, adding that the bill doesn't require more green cards, just a time extension on existing visas. Conklin co-chairs the religious workers group of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and often represents evangelical pastors.
The need for foreign-born religious workers is acute, faith leaders say
Faith denominations from Buddhism to Judaism recruit foreign-born clergy who can minister to growing non-English-speaking congregations and often were educated at foreign institutions steeped in a religion's history. For many, it is also a necessity because of clergy shortages.
The number of Catholic priests in the U.S. has declined by more than 40% since 1970, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, a research center affiliated with Georgetown University. Some dioceses, however, are experiencing an uptick in vocations, and some expect more will be inspired by the recent election of Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope.
Last summer, the Diocese of Paterson — serving 400,000 Catholics and 107 parishes in three New Jersey counties — and five of its affected priests sued the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The lawsuit argues that the 2023 change 'will cause severe and substantial disruption to the lives and religious freedoms' of the priests and the faithful they serve. The government's initial response was that the Department of State was correct in making that change, according to court documents.
Expecting some action on the legislative front, the parties agreed to stay the lawsuit, said Raymond Lahoud, the diocese's attorney.
But because the bills weren't included in the nearly-900-page sprawling legislation that Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed into law earlier this month, the lawsuit is moving forward, Lahoud said.
'We just can't wait anymore,' he said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Five things to know about possible FBI involvement in Texas redistricting battle
Five things to know about possible FBI involvement in Texas redistricting battle

The Hill

time30 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Five things to know about possible FBI involvement in Texas redistricting battle

Several Republicans are opening the door to getting the FBI involved in forcing Texas Democrats to return to the state amid a protest over an even friendlier congressional map the GOP wants to pass. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel this week, urging the agency to help Republicans bring back Democrats to the Lone Star State. President Trump left open the possibility on Tuesday, saying 'they may have to.' The statements from Trump and Cornyn mark a remarkable escalation in an already heated redistricting battle that started in Texas and has since fanned out across the country. But the comments invoking the FBI's assistance are raising questions around whether that's even possible. Here are five things to know about possible FBI involvement in the Texas redistricting battle: Why are Republicans calling for FBI involvement? Some Republicans are calling for the FBI's involvement after Texas Democrats left the state beginning on Sunday to block Republicans from passing a new map that would offer the Texas GOP five additional pickup opportunities in the House. Democrats broke quorum, meaning the minimum number of lawmakers needed to conduct legislative business, in an effort to stall passage of the maps in the state's lower chamber. They left for states including New York and Illinois, which Republicans point out were also gerrymandered by Democrats. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) have called for the lawmakers that fled to be arrested, and Abbott has already started the process of trying to remove at least one Democrat from office. But Democrats can technically stay out of the state as long as they want, which is why some Republicans have floated the use of federal law enforcement to compel them to return to Texas. What has the FBI said so far? So far, the FBI is staying mum on the issue. The FBI declined to comment when contacted by The Hill regarding the push to get them involved in bringing back Democrats to Texas. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also not said anything publicly about the issue. One looming question is how much pressure Trump puts on the Justice Department and FBI to act as the standoff continues. Does the FBI have the power to bring Democrats back to Texas? Some experts that spoke to The Hill appeared skeptical that the FBI could intervene in the matter, noting that the agency is concerned with violations of federal law while the Texas standoff is primarily an issue concerning individual states. 'I don't see why the FBI would be involved in this at all. I mean this is Texas politics and the FBI has no business trying to enforce Texas state law,' said Richard Painter, who served as associate counsel to the president in the White House Counsel's office during former President George W. Bush's second term. 'The only federal law that I think is being violated in Texas and in Illinois and several other states is voting rights,' said Painter, who's now a law professor at the University of Minnesota. 'I think gerrymandering violates voting rights, but the U.S. Supreme Court's not willing to do anything about it.' Painter's comments allude to a Supreme Court ruling in 2019 that gerrymandering is a political matter, not a legal one, and thus doesn't fall under the purview of federal courts. He said that if he were detained by the FBI in that situation and they said he needed to return to the Lone Star State, 'I'd be filing for a writ of habeas corpus tomorrow, and I think I'd win.' Another expert poured cold water over the idea as well. 'There's no offense against the United States. There is no reasonable basis that arresting Texas legislators will prevent the commission of a federal crime,' wrote Anthony Michael Kreis, an associate professor at Georgia State University College of Law, in a post on X, linking to an article by The New York Times regarding Cornyn's call to get the FBI involved. 'This is simply @JohnCornyn asking for the unconstitutional, lawless, and arbitrary federal power,' he added. Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor and professor at the University of Michigan Law School, said she wasn't sure, when asked about whether the FBI can compel Democrats to return to the state and if Trump can require officials to do this. 'Seems like an inappropriate use of federal law enforcement powers to address a political issue, and I don't see what the federal offense would be,' she told The Hill in an email. How are Democrats responding? Democrats have heavily criticized Republicans' efforts to push the FBI to get involved in detaining Texas lawmakers. 'Impeached Ken Paxton and twice impeached Donald Trump are threatening to send the FBI after Texas House Democrats. It's an illegal, authoritarian move that will not stand,' tweeted Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), one of the original lawmakers that fled the state in 2003 to deny Texas Republicans during mid-decade redistricting. Speaking to late night host Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said 'they've not broken any federal law,' when asked about whether the FBI could get involved. 'And frankly, in the state of Illinois, we're not going to let them get taken away. We're going to protect those Texas House Democrats.' Meanwhile, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) wrote on X that doing so would be 'indefensible.' 2024 Election Coverage What other means is the GOP using to pressure Democrats? Republicans aren't facing many good options in terms of forcing Democrats to come back to the state. Abbott on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Democratic leader Gene Wu from his seat in the Texas state House. And Paxton has also called for the ouster of the Democrats who fled. But so far the GOP's options appear limited. There's no question that Democrats will come back eventually — they will have to at some point after being away from their families and constituents for so long, and also must address other hot-button issues in the state like flood relief. The real question is how long Democrats will stay away, which will be determined by lawmakers' stamina and resources.

Republicans quietly fret about ‘disturbing' Cory Mills allegations
Republicans quietly fret about ‘disturbing' Cory Mills allegations

Politico

time31 minutes ago

  • Politico

Republicans quietly fret about ‘disturbing' Cory Mills allegations

Another House Republican, also granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, said other controversies — including an allegation of unpaid rent that Mills dismissed last month as a misunderstanding with building management — have also surprised lawmakers. A recent NOTUS report questioned whether Mills has been honest about his military service for which he was awarded a Bronze Star; Mills acknowledged 'different recollections during chaotic wartime events' but said he was entitled to the honor. And as House Ethics probes his businesses' contracts, which concern the sales of weapons or other equipment, Mills continues to sit on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. 'And then this whole other issue is disturbing,' the lawmaker said about the new accusations of personal threats. Those are rooted in Mills' relationship with Lindsey Langston, the 2024 Miss United States. She told authorities last month that Mills contacted her multiple times threatening to release nude images and videos of them having sex and harm her future romantic partners after she broke off the relationship earlier this year, according to a police report obtained this week by POLITICO. The report said Langston shared messages with Mills backing up her claims. The Columbia County, Florida, sheriff's department forwarded the report to the state Department of Law Enforcement for investigation. The agency confirmed Wednesday it received the request but declined to comment further. Langston's allegations have been complicated by the involvement of Anthony Sabatini, a hard-right former Florida legislator who ran against Mills in 2022 and is now serving as Langston's lawyer. Mills suggested this week that Sabatini was engaged in a political vendetta, but the attorney said Wednesday that he no longer lives in Mills' district and has no plans to seek his seat. The evidence of Mills' actions speaks for itself, he said. Sabatini said he plans to take Langston's allegations directly to the House Ethics Committee, which he said has 'the independent authority to investigate this on its face.' A spokesperson for the panel declined to comment. 'If they don't do it, it's only because [of] the margins,' he said. Meanwhile, in Florida, conversation has surrounded just what Mills' future in GOP politics might look like. One top Republican operative in the state said, even before the latest reports, Mills had been 'extremely frustrated' in the House and 'there are people out thinking about running for the congressional seat' if he does not run for a third term. 'He didn't know if he wanted to continue in Congress,' said the operative, who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. Mills first won his seat in 2022 after post-Census redistricting created new GOP-friendly lines for the 7th District, stretching from Orlando's north suburbs to the Atlantic coast — prompting Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy to retire.

The House Dems bracing for redistricting sacrifices
The House Dems bracing for redistricting sacrifices

Politico

time31 minutes ago

  • Politico

The House Dems bracing for redistricting sacrifices

TEAM PLAYERS: Two of California's safest House Democrats say they're preparing to take one for the team — accepting slightly more competitive districts as part of the state's quest to find five new blue seats. Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to counter President Donald Trump's effort to increase the number of GOP seats in Texas with a midcycle gerrymandering of his own. State lawmakers could vote soon after they return from recess on Aug. 18 to hold a November special election asking Californians for the power to redraw congressional districts ahead of the midterms. But decreasing the number of Republican seats means some deep-blue California districts will take on a slightly more purple tinge. San Diego Reps. Scott Peters and Sara Jacobs — both of whom represent overwhelmingly Democratic areas — are among the members who would likely see an increase in Republican voters if lines are redrawn. Both told Playbook they would prefer to avoid the sudden redistricting, but that Trump's Texas push warrants it. 'This is bigger than me and my seat,' Jacobs said. 'This is about the survival of democracy and our country. I don't think any of us want to go forward with this, but it's the only way to respond to what they're doing in Texas.' Peters said he actually agrees with Northern California Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley's crusade to outlaw redistricting outside the typical 10-year time span. But, he added, 'We're not the ones who picked this fight.' Asked how much their districts could change, Jacobs and Peters said the proposed new boundaries remain in flux. Former Vice President Kamala Harris last year won Jacobs' district by more than 23 percentage points and Peters' by nearly 30 points, according to California Target Book. Drawing more Republicans into these kinds of deep-blue districts would allow Democrats to eliminate some red areas without giving Republicans an advantage in existing purple districts. Peters said competitive races early in his congressional career — including a very close 2014 contest against now-Assemblymember Carl DeMaio — have prepared him for the moment. 'Since Trump's been on the ballot, I haven't had hard races,' he said. 'But I know how to run a tough race. We'll be ready for what comes.' IT'S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to lholden@ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY FUNDING FREEZE: UCLA is at risk of losing more than half a billion dollars in federal research funds as the Trump administration continues to pressure the school to address allegations of antisemitism on campus, our Nicole Norman reports. The $584 million in frozen funds that UCLA officials announced today is the first official tally of what is at stake for the school. The sum is far more than what was initially estimated when the Department of Justice announced last week it was investigating the school for violations of civil rights laws stemming from allegations it has failed to protect Jewish students and faculty from antisemitism. In a school-wide letter sent this morning and shared with POLITICO, UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk confirmed the grant money, which is meant to fund hundreds of research projects in a wide array of fields, is 'suspended and at risk.' 'If these funds remain suspended,' he wrote, 'it will be devastating for UCLA and for Americans across the nation.' IN OTHER NEWS CARUSO CASH: Rick Caruso today announced his Los Angeles wildfire recovery nonprofit will launch a $1 million initiative to help small businesses rebuild. The Banc of California will donate the money for the fund, which will provide grants of up to $50,000 for businesses in Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu, according to the announcement. Caruso's 2026 political ambitions have been the subject of intense speculation. The billionaire developer — who spent more than $100 million in his unsuccessful campaign for Los Angeles mayor against Karen Bass in 2022 — could make another run to lead his city or jump into the wide-open gubernatorial race. Continuing his wildfire relief work seems to add a point to the mayoral column, although supporters have been encouraging him to weigh a bid for the state's top office after Harris announced she won't become a candidate. TOGETHER IN TAHOE: Sen. Adam Schiff today hosted Nevada and California leaders at the Tahoe Summit, an annual gathering dedicated to preserving the landmark lake. Schiff welcomed Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and Nevada Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen — as well as actor Jeremy Renner, who lives in the area — to Valhalla Tahoe on the California side of the lake. The group honored late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who helped start the summit in 1997. Many of the speakers also highlighted the need for federal resources to protect Lake Tahoe, and Cortez Masto pointed to the Trump administration's Forest Service cuts as a particular concern. 'Our federal partners are so important,' she said. 'And right now, unfortunately, they're being thinned out.' WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — Prominent anti-gerrymandering organization Common Cause is debating whether to modify its position opposing all partisan redistricting as California Democrats decide how to respond to redrawn maps in Texas. (The Christian Science Monitor) — Trump signed an executive order naming himself the chair of a White House task force on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. (The Los Angeles Times) AROUND THE STATE — The Santa Ana Unified School District and Orange County School of the Arts say they've reached an $8.55 million settlement, ending a yearslong battle over special education funding. (The Orange County Register) — Stanford University is laying off at least 363 employees this fall as it makes $140 million in budget cuts. (The Mercury News) — The state's Office of the Inspector General in a review found that the way the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation handles investigations into use-of-force complaints against officers was 'inadequate.' (The Sacramento Bee) — compiled by Juliann Ventura

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store