Position Papers

Backgrounders

Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking in the United States November, 2014

The United States is a source, transit and destination country for men, women and children. Both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor, including domestic servitude. Use this to better understand the problem in the US, what the government is doing to fight it, and the Catholic Church’s response.

Human Trafficking Backgrounder  November, 2014

The United Nations Protocol on Human Trafficking defines Human Trafficking as "the "recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of persons by means of force, fraud or coercion." It is a horrific crime against the fundamental rights and dignity of the human person and takes a variety of forms in every region of the world. Use this document as a way to familiarize yourself with the issue of human trafficking and the Church's position on this serious problem.  

Immigration

Demanding Dignity: The Call to End Family Detention, March, 2015

In response to the influx of approximately 60,000 migrant families arriving at the Southwest Border during the summer and fall of 2014, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a policy of detaining immigrant families in prison-like detention facilities located throughout the US but primarily along the US-Mexico border. This backgrounder provides more details on the program and the position of the Catholic Bishops with respect to it.

Immigrant Detention Backgrounder August, 2014 

Currently, the US government spends $2 billion/year to detain immigrants in facilities throughout the United States. Immigrant detention is inhumane. USCCB strongly believes that the current immigrant detention system threatens family unity and as such must be reformed to prevent unnecessary family separation particularly of young children from their families. In addition to the backgrounder above please find additional information related to this topic in the Family Detention and Detention Bed Mandate Fact Sheets.  

Religious Worker Backgrounder  February, 2013

The religious worker visa program allows U.S. religious denominations to fill critical religious worker positions for which there are no qualified candidates in the U.S. with qualified religious workers from abroad. 

Birthright Citizenship Issue Backgrounder  February, 2013

Under current law, U.S.-born children of unauthorized immigrants are automatically considered U.S. citizens. Select states and certain Federal lawmakers are hoping to change that. In an effort to end birthright citizenship – which has its origins in English common law – for children of unauthorized immigrants born in the United States, state and federal lawmakers have proposed everything from state-level legislation to a constitutional amendment. They claim that by repealing birthright citizenship, the United States will deter immigrants from coming to the United States and giving birth to what they term “anchor babies” through who unauthorized family members allegedly then obtain legal status. 

Issue Brief Why Don't They Come Here Legally Backgrounder  February, 2013

In the fractious debate surrounding both legal and illegal immigration to the United States, politicians, the public, and pundits alike eventually cycle back to one fundamental question – why don't they come here legally? Why don't the estimated 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants presently in the United States stand in line with the rest of the immigrants seeking to enter lawfully? If our ancestors did it, why can't they?  

Migrant Children

Unaccompanied Alien Children Influx Backgrounder  July, 2012