V Encuentro Proceedings and Conclusions

112 | Proceedings and Conclusions of the V National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry » » Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA, 2014): there are 1,258,000 eligible beneficiaries of DACA—just over 11% of the undocumented population. About 85% have resided in the country for 10 years or more. Also, 82% are between 18 and 44 years old, 91% speak English well or very well, and 93% completed high school or higher education. About 58% lack insurance and 74% of the households have incomes above the poverty line. The average salary is $13,200—a low number because many are students. Roughly 11% are considered unemployed. 12 » » Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries: 195,000 Salvadorans, 57,000 Hondurans, and 50,000 Haitians have TPS. In labor force: 88% (El Salvador), 85% (Honduras), 81% (Haiti). 13 • In addition to the undocumented population, there are about 8.5 million immigrant permanent residents eligible for naturalization. Only 1% have been in the country for less than 5 years, 63% for more than 15 years, and 31% are from Mexico. Approximately 59% are employed, 4% are unemployed looking for work, and 18% lack health insurance. 14 • Parishes with Hispanic ministry have historically focused pastoral attention on immigrants from Latin America and their families. They tend to be larger than other parishes, with average attendance at weekend Masses of 1,419 parishioners—22% higher than the average in parishes nationwide. 15 • One survey found that 63% of participating parishes and schools conducted outreach activities to the immigrant community. Youth and young adult pastoral activities were popular and widely offered in Hispanic-serving parishes, with great value for accompaniment but limited with regard to integration. 16 • Prominent needs identified in the consultation: » » Fear due to a lack of legal documents in an environment of uncertainty stands out. » » Experiences of discrimination and abuses in labor rights were widely reported. » » Emphasis on emotional and psychological support for families that are separated or living in fear of separation. » » Frequent requests for information and continuous legal assistance to be provided through Church structures. » » Address the issue of immigration from the pastoral rather than the political point of view, since the Church is the most appropriate place to respond to this imminent need. » » Parish leaders should be trained to help the indigent community and refugees, as well as supporting and accompanying young immigrants in their particular needs, especially those who are under the status of DACA or TPS. 12 Donald Kerwin and Robert Warren, “Potential Beneficiaries of the Obama Administration’s Executive Action Programs Deeply Embedded in US Society,” Journal on Migration and Human Security 4, no. 1 (2016): 16-28. ( http://cmsny.org/publications/ jmhs-potential-beneficiaries-of-daca-dapa/ ) . 13 CMS, “State-Level Unauthorized Population...”. See also Robert Warren and Donald Kerwin, “A Statistical and Demographic Profile of the U.S. Temporary Protected Status Populations from El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti,” Journal on Migration and Human Security 5, no. 3 (2017): 577-592, accessed August 16, 2018, ( http://cmsny.org/publications/jmhs-tps-elsalvador- honduras-haiti/ ). 14 CMS, “State-Level Unauthorized Population...”. 15 Hosffman Ospino, “Hispanic Ministry in Catholic Parishes: A Summary Report of Findings from the National Study of Catholic Parishes with Hispanic Ministry,” Boston College, accessed August 16, 2018, ( https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/schools/ stm/pdf/2014/HispanicMinistryinCatholicParishes_2.pdf ). 16 Donald Kerwin and Kyle Barron “Building Structures of Solidarity and Instruments of Justice: The Catholic Immigrant Integration Surveys,” Center for Migration Studies (2017), ( http://www.cmsny.org/publications/the-catholic-immigrant- integration-surveys/ ). Ministerial Area Sessions