Ways You Can Advocate for Issues 

US Congress Contacts

Ohio General Assembly Contacts

Dear Friends,

No doubt you have seen the humanitarian crisis happening with immigrant children on our border. 

Please read the alert below from Catholics Confront Global Poverty, an initiative from the USCCB.

We pray for the children, the safety of the families they left behind, and for the future of all people that their human dignity will be respected.

Thanks for all you do!

Sr. Kathleen Ryan, Diane Zbasnik, Pat O'Bryan, Kelly Davis, Rachel Schmidt, Joan Badami and Sandra Gay Chapman

Protect Vulnerable Children

(Action Alert from Catholics Confront Global Poverty)

"Instead of going to school, playing with friends, and enjoying time with family, tens of thousands of children from Central America flee their homes embarking on a dangerous trek north to the United States. Extreme violence and the lack of opportunity at home, and the desire to reunite with parents and other family members drive these kids to make the perilous journey without a parent or guardian. They are all under the age of 18."

"The number of unaccompanied children crossing the U.S. border has alarmingly increased, doubling every year since 2011. This year alone, as many as 90,000 children could arrive, creating a humanitarian crisis in need of our attention.   According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, close to 60 percent are fleeing violence and have international protection claims. At the same time, nearly 40,000 young mothers with children have also entered the U.S. and are being placed in detention centers.  They will likely be exposed to expedited removal from the U.S., without the opportunity to make their case before an immigration judge..."

"The Catholic Church is responding to the plight of these children based on the principles of Catholic social teaching that all people have a right to migrate, but also the right not to migrate and to meet their needs where they are.  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)/Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) provides extensive child welfare and other critical services to this highly vulnerable child population.  Meanwhile, Catholic Relief Services addresses the reasons why children make the perilous journey to the U.S., implementing education, leadership and work skill training programs to help these kids stay and flourish in their home communities. It also helps to revitalize economies in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala to provide more economic opportunities." 

(from www.confrontglobalpoverty.org)

Read More From the CCGP Action Alert Page

News from the USCCB

USCCB Chairman Urges Obama Administration To Reconsider Proposed Policy To Return Unaccompanied Children to Their Home Countries Without Proper Due Process