Migration

“Attention must be called to the rights of migrants and their families and to respect for their human dignity, even in cases of non-legal immigration.”

– Saint Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia in America

Every human person has the right to support themselves and their family. But poverty, persecution, and disaster can make life impossible in one’s native land. For this reason, migration is a basic human right. Prosperous nations like our own should have generous immigration policies. The rights and dignity of migrants should be seriously considered when crafting policy. The fact that millions of people have entered our country illegally must be tempered by the reality that our immigration system is broken, and has failed to justly respond to the needs of those fleeing perils.

At the same time, however, nations have a right—and a duty—to regulate their borders. And immigrants also have duties to a country that receives them. “Open border” cosmopolitanism is not the goal. Rather, a just and well-regulated immigration system that prioritizes families and relief from suffering is. We must strive for comprehensive reform to our broken immigration system while taking commonsense measures to integrate immigrants already living among us into our communities.

Current Issues:

Below are the major issues on which we are currently active, but to understand the breadth of our work, visit our legislative statements & testimony page. Click the buttons below to find issue-specific resources.

Immigrant Driver's License

Refugees

Human Trafficking

Federal Immigration Reform

Key Resources:

Unlocking the Gates of Our Hearts

Immigration Sunday

Bills MCC is Tracking:

There are thousands of bills introduced during the legislative session every year. These are the migration bills for which the Minnesota Catholic Conference has taken a position.

Red = Oppose | Green = Support | Gray = Monitoring or Seeking Amendment

You can click on any of the bills to see further information including the full text of the bill, which legislators are sponsoring the bill, various actions taken by the legislature, votes taken, and supporting documents.