Immigration resources: learn more

Books

On “Strangers No Longer”: Perspectives on the Historic U.S.-Mexican Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Migration
This collection of essays released by the Department of Migration & Refugee Services and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) provides various perspectives on the major themes of the 2003 pastoral letter “Strangers No Longer.”

International Migration: A Very Short Introduction
Khalid Koser provides clear-cut answers to a number of basic international migration topics. Something of a “migration for dummies” guide, this quick read is a great introduction for those new to the topic.

A Promised Land, a Perilous Journey: Theological Perspectives on Migration
This international compilation of essays edited by Daniel Groody and Gioacchino Campese reframes the plight of the migrant within the Catholic tradition. Paralleling the migrant experience with the Passion of Christ and other Scripture stories, the authors engage the issue from a fresh, meaningful place.

Websites

Catholic Relief Services (CRS): www.crs.org
Founded to respond to the needs of displaced persons, CRS continues to address these needs as well as root causes of migration. The CRS website provides information about global migration, the situation in countries they serve and ways to take action.

Justice for Immigrants (JFI): www.justiceforimmigrants.org
Sponsored by the USCCB, the JFI campaign works to educate the Catholic community about Church teaching on migration and ways we are called to respond. Check out the JFI site for news on immigration and the Church’s response, as well as tools to use at parishes and at home.

Immigration Policy Center (IPC): www.immigrationpolicy.org
As the research and policy arm of the American Immigration Council, the IPC separates fact from fiction in the immigration debate. Helpful site tools include a guide to the U.S. immigration system, a breakdown of immigration data by state and fact checks on current immigration issues.

(Originally published in the Winter 2015 issue of HOPE magazine.)