About Us
As disciples of Jesus Christ, rooted in Gospel values and our rich Catholic social tradition, the Immigration Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago answers the call to welcome all immigrants in Cook and Lake counties. In doing so, we build communion between immigrants and non-immigrants as brothers and sisters in Christ and accompany and empower immigrants toward their formation and integration as members of society and people of faith in the one family of God.
The Immigration Ministry serves as a national model to support undocumented and documented immigrants and promote Christ’s desire for communion between immigrant and non-immigrant communities. We strive to create a society where immigrants and their cultural gifts will be welcomed and celebrated, where their families remain united, and where they can rediscover deepen their faith, and become in engaged and involved in the judicial transformation of society.
Goals
- Educate in understanding and respecting the dignity of every immigrant as a human being and recognizing the benefits of immigrants and immigration for our nation.
- Educate the undocumented community to safeguard their basic rights and family unity.
- Advocate for Compassionate Comprehensive Immigration Reform using the principles of the USCCB, and for the humane treatment of immigrant detainees and deportees.
- Empower immigrants to participate in their communities through service, leadership formation, and action while promoting justice through the implementation and coordination of Immigrant Social Ministry in parishes through lay leadership teams.
Annual Reports
Click below to read through our several most recent annual reports.
2018 Annual Report
“Encountering God through Companionship” (PDF)
2017 Annual Report
“Enduring in Hope” (PDF)
2016 Annual Report
2015 Annual Report
“Walking Together, The Journey for Immigration Reform” (PDF)
2014 Annual Report
2013 Annual Report
“One Community: Collaborators on the Journey” (PDF)
2012 Annual Report
Since 2005, the Immigration Ministry has been implementing the goals of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform Justice for Immigrants program, which include:
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Educating the public, especially the Catholic community, including Catholic public officials, about Church teaching on migration and immigrants,
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Enacting legislative and administrative reforms based on the principles articulated by the bishops, and
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Organizing Catholic networks to assist qualified immigrants obtain the benefits immigration reform.
When comprehensive immigration reform failed to pass the Senate in 2007, Chicago’s immigrant community needed to know what they could do to help one another through increasing, basic human and pastoral needs in the absence of immigration policy restructuring.
In support, we developed our immigrant leadership ministries, Pastoral Migratoria and Polish Social Ministry, to empower Hispanic and Polish immigrant lay leaders through service and justice actions in parishes.
- Senior Coordinator for Immigration – National Ministry
- Elena Segura
- 312.534.5333
- [email protected]
- Assistant Director for Development and Partnerships
- Mark Goebel
- 312.534.8383
- [email protected]
- National Outreach Coordinator
- Raymundo Valdez
- 312.534.8503
- [email protected]
- Senior Coordinator for Immigration Ministry
- Rosland, Sarah
- 312.534.8509
- [email protected]
- National Communications Coordinator for National Pastoral Migratoria
- Peter Duff
- 312.534.8371
- [email protected]