Fr. John McCarthy and Jim Cummins met with members of the IRISH EPISCOPAL COUNCIL FOR EMIGRANTS (Bishop John Kirby, Fr. Paul Byrne, Fr. Gerry French, Mr. Harry Casey and Ms. Joanna Joyce) on December 23rd in Maynooth.

Fr. John provided a report of the recent Irish Pastoral Center gala dinner in Boston, which was a huge success and raised a significant amount for the pastoral centre.

Fr. John and Jim provided an update on immigration reform.

Fr John and Jim highlighted some of the issues affecting recent Irish emigrants - suicide, drug abuse, depression. The Irish Pastoral Centre in Boston started a group called DOCUS to meet with families who have lost a family member to suicide. Fr. John and Jim explained that the immigration centres need social workers to deal with these issues.

The need for chaplains was also discussed and Fr. John suggested that the important role played by emigrant chaplains be raised with the Bishops in Ireland to ensure that the future of these chaplaincies can be continued.

The meeting was so successful that it might become an annual event.

National Migration Conference 2014

The 2014 National Migration Conference (NMC) is a gathering hosted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/ MRS), the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA). The National Migration Conference is intended to build the capacity of the Catholic Church and society to advance the life and dignity of the human person in our work with immigrants, migrants, refugees, unaccompanied migrant children, victims of human trafficking, and other vulnerable people on the move.

There is a possibility that might immigration reform legislation be in play in the House of Representatives THIS summer. The activity in the House could occur sometime around early July.

Given that, please consider attending the 2014 National Migration conference in Washington, DC on July 7-10.
An advocacy day will take place during the conference and your participation can make the difference in the passage of immigration reform legislation.

For conference information and registration go to: http://bit.ly/LssXku .

All About BIA Recognition & Accreditation

Join the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. for this FREE Webinar.

Date: March 20, 2014

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time

Would you like to know more about how your nonprofit agency and staff can become authorized to provide immigration legal services? Join us for this webinar training on Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) agency recognition and staff accreditation.

BIA agency recognition and staff accreditation is the Department of Justice's certification of nonprofit legal immigration programs and their staff. It allows non-attorneys to practice immigration law as authorized representatives. Increasing the number of BIA recognized agencies, locations, and accredited staff will be essential for implementing Comprehensive Immigration Reform and serving the millions of immigrants who will be eligible for relief.

During this webinar, we will discuss the requirements for recognition and accreditation; the process for submitting an application; and the latest BIA developments. The presenters are CLINIC Attorney Silvana Arista and CLINIC Field Support Coordinator Laura Burdick.

Register by clicking here. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information on joining the webinar.

For questions or additional information contact Laura Burdick at lburdick@cliniclegal.org.

President's Day Recess

ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES

Tues. Feb. 18: Send the JFI e-postcard at

www.justiceforimmigrants.org

Wed. Feb. 19: National Call-In Day to Congress -

Dial 1-855-589-5698 to be connected to your U.S. Representatives and ask them to
- Include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants

- Maintain family unity by preserving the family immigration system.

Thurs. Feb. 20: On National Social Media Day, Post and re-post on Facebook, and Tweet and re-tweet your support for immigrants.

USCCB Releases Press Statement in Response to GOP'S IMMIGRATION PRINCIPLES

January 31, 2014

Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, M.Sp.S., auxiliary bishop of Seattle and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration, commented January 31, to immigration reform principles released by House Republicans at their retreat in Cambridge, Maryland.

"I am encouraged by the release of these principles, which hopefully will spark action in the House of Representatives to finally address our nation's broken immigration system," Bishop Elizondo said. "Congress must seize the moment and end the suffering of immigrants and their families."

Bishop Elizondo expressed concern, however, with some of the principles, particularly one that would confer legal status, and not a path to citizenship, to the undocumented in the country. The USCCB has consistently called for a path to citizenship for undocumented persons and their families.

"Bishop Elizondo also expressed reservations about the requirement that border enforcement triggers are met prior to immigrants receiving legal status.

Bishop Elizondo pledged to work with Congress and both parties for a law that is just and humane and serves the best interest of the United States.

"Achieving just immigration reform will not be an easy task and will require bipartisan cooperation and leadership, not politics. The Church stands ready to assist in this effort," he said. "The release of these principles represents an important step toward that end."

IAUSA Website Updated

IAUSA Irish Apostolate

Please check out the redesigned IAUSA website at: www.usairish.org.

We welcome any comments or suggestions you may have to make the website more helpful to you.

Please email your comments to Geri Garvey at: administrator@usairish.org

Join the Justice for Immigrants Campaign
The Justice for Immigrants Campaign continues to build its grassroots support for comprehensive immigration reform. If you want to be notified of immigration legislation updates , NOW is the time to join the JFI Action Alert list. Sign up at: www.justiceforimmigrants.org

The Irish Apostolate USA is the umbrella organization for the Irish Immigration Pastoral and Outreach Centers in the United States, under the direction of the Irish Episcopal Council for Emigrants.

Please visit our website for more information:
Irish Apostolate USA

Geri Garvey, Administrator
Irish Apostolate USA

Phone/Fax: 301-384-3375 Email: administrator@usairish.org