Debates about federal border policy and the growing movement of people across borders globally, including encounters of migrants at the U.S. -Mexico border in 2023, indicate fresh approaches are needed to address this global humanitarian crisis.
El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz and University President Peter Kilpatrick are headlining a national conference, “Responding to Changing Realities at the U.S. Border and Beyond: Catholic Approaches to Migration,” on April 10 and 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Sponsored by Catholic University and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the gathering on the University campus is bringing Church, nonprofit, and academic experts together to discuss the lived experience of immigrants, roots of Catholic engagement with immigration, advocacy, and policy priorities that reflect the Church’s concerns for human dignity, and a path forward for Catholic organizations working with migrants and refugees.
“By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, we can more fully explore the multifaceted challenges the Church and nation face,” said Stacy Brustin, director of the Immigration Law and Policy Initiative at Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law, and one of the event organizers.
The schedule and registration for the free conference are online at www.law.edu/immigration.
Several University programs are co-sponsoring the event with the USCCB, including the Columbus School of Law, School of Arts and Sciences, National Catholic School of Social Services, School of Theology and Religious Studies, Institute for Latin American and Iberian Studies, Center for Cultural Engagement, and the Sister Thea Bowman Recommendations Coordination and Implementation Team.