Immigrant Advocacy Group

Mission Statement

The work of the Immigration Advocacy Group is grounded in our Catholic faith calling us to welcome the stranger among us. In welcoming the immigrant, migrant, and refugee, we encounter Christ. The Church has consistently upheld our moral obligation to treat the stranger as we would Christ. Catholic Social Teaching on immigration recognizes that 1) people have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and that of their families; 2) a country has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration; but 3) a country must regulate its border with justice and mercy. This teaching is grounded in the equality of all people and the commitment to the common good. We seek to accomplish this mission by:
1. Supporting our members in providing direct assistance to refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants.
2. Advocating for just and merciful public policy locally and nationally
3. Educating ourselves and the Paulist Center Community on issues of relevance

For more information, contact us at: paulistcenterimmigration@gmail.com.

July 2025 – Temporary Protected Status Update

See our Racial Justice ministry page for an update on recent changes as they affect Haitians and some other immigrants.

July 2025 – Special Message

This year has been difficult for immigrants and those supporting them. We are witnessing:

masked kidnappers snatching people off the streets (over half of whom have never been accused of a crime)
rendition to hellhole foreign prisons without due process
the construction of a concentration camp in the Everglades
the signing of a budget bill that deprives struggling families of food, medical care and housing in order to finance the persecution of immigrants.

However, a powerful counterforce has emerged. Faith based groups are rising up including Protestants (Mass Council of Churches, Episcopal City Mission, Sojourners, Evangelical Immigration Table), Jews (Never Again Action, T’Ruah, Bend the Arc), Muslims (Council on American-Islamic Relations, American Muslim Advisory Council) and others.

And our own Church is weighing in. In addition to established social justice groups like the Franciscan Action Network, the American Catholic hierarchy has begun to step up. San Diego Bishop Elect Michael Pham visited Immigration Court, much to the discomfiture of ICE agents on hand. Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington DC and Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of USCCB have condemned the legislation. The mainstream Catholic Press, including America, Commonweal, National Catholic Reporter and others. has also spoken.

The Paulist Center has also been active. In addition to IAG’s ongoing work of helping families, educating our community and acting for just and merciful public policy, the Center has condemned the Administration’s anti immigrant executive orders, established a protocol in case ICE shows up at our chapel, and joined the USCCB in speaking out against the recent budget reconciliation bill. On Sunday, June 6, Father Rick Walsh to described the passage and signing on July 4 of the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” as Social Sin. Anyone who believes in the dignity of all people and protecting the most vulnerable among us is witnessing social sin in the signing of this bill. Staff has published this statement, which was also read from the pulpit in our liturgies over the Fourth of July weekend

WE NEED TO ACT

There are several ways to take action:

July 15, 12-4PM. Love Melts I.C.E., JFK Federal Building, Tremont St. (next to City Hall). Join with a grassroots group of citizens committed to showing support and kindness to immigrants in Massachusetts. The purpose of this vigil is to support our immigrant neighbors and to stand against the fear, harm, and injustice caused by cruel government policies. Come for all or part of the event
July 17, 6:00-7:30, Good Trouble Lives On. Five years since the passing of Congressman John Lewis, communities are mobilizing to carry John Lewis’ legacy forward. Find an event near you here.
July 23, 11:30-1:00PM. Bearing witness at ICE office in Burlington. We are organizing a Paulist Center contingent to join this weekly standout at the ICE office in Burlington in the office park adjacent to the Burlington Mall. The event is very well run and the site is easily accessible. RSVP’s are appreciated but not required. Let us know your plans by emailing paulistcenterimmigration@gmail.com
State legislation. We have been advocating for the Safe Communities Act,the Immigrant Legal Defense Act and Dignity Not Deportation. We’ll report back on status and next steps after the FY2026 state budget has been analyzed.

Got Questions? Drop us an email at paulistcenterimmigration@gmail.com

April 2025 Update

In 2025, we have witnessed direct assaults by the Trump administration on immigrants and their supporters. The Trump administration has issued executive orders and taken other steps to persecute immigrants including: attempts to terminate temporary protective status (TPS) and humanitarian parole; revocation of work authorization and protection for asylum seekers; threats to investigate attorneys representing asylum seekers; freezing of funds to organizations supporting immigrants; attempts to block DACA renewal; increased scrutiny and challenges to previously routine renewals of immigration benefits; additional hurdles and requirements for permanent residence (green card); detention of students and permanent residents for advocating for Palestinian rights; summary removal of those legally in the US on mere on suspicion of gang affiliation; attempts to revoke status of international students; reviving of registration requirements with criminal penalties for non-compliance; and the use of intimidation and other fear tactics to encourage “self deportation.” Although many efforts are being successfully challenged in court, we face an administration intent on removing people without regard to justice, mercy, the rule of law, the impact on law enforcement efforts, sanctity of places of worship or harm to our communities, institutions, economy, and national security. We are committed to speaking out against such grave injustice and evil and as we prayerfully discern our response.

Direct Assistance
Hundreds of IAG volunteers helped migrants find and furnish housing, learn English, attend school (for children), obtain legal assistance, receive public benefits including health care and food assistance, conduct shopping trips, find employment and, in general, adapt to life in the US while seeking permanent residence and even citizenship here. Paulist Center members continue their resettlement activities with families from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Haiti and other countries.

Just and Merciful Public Policy
Public policy, especially on the state level, has always been an IAG cornerstone. Now it will be even more important, as we seek to secure and protect human rights for migrants in the face of a hostile federal regime.
Key state policy issues for the 2025 legislative session are the Safe Communites Act and the Dignity not Deportation Act, both of which would prevent Massachusetts entities from collaborating with ICE by prohibiting them from renting beds or providing resources to federal immigration enforcement.We will aslo continue advocating for the Massachusetts Immigration Legal Assistance Fund (MILAF),which will support organizations providing direct legal services, community education, and systemic advocacy, impacting immigrant and refugee communities.
Protest and direct action will take on a new importance. We have participated in Immigrants’ Day at the State House, “Hands Off!” protests, the interfaith “Sanctuary is Sacred” march and rally on Good Friday. We anticipate more protests and resistance activities in the coming months.

Educating Ourselves and Our Community
In 2024 we began holding quarterly community meetings in addition to our ongoing partnership with FREP. Our focus will continue to be on Catholic Social Teaching, with a special emphasis on becoming effective allies and maintaining morale for a prolonged struggle. Our next Community Meeting will take place in June and we are working on and adult education offering for the fall in conjunction with faculty from the Harvard Divinity School

February 2025 – Special Message

Pastoral Letter on Immigrants from Rene Constanza, CSP, President of the Paulist Fathers
Paulist Center Staff Statement on Recent Executive Orders
The Paulist Center’s staff joins Catholic Advocacy groups, southern border dioceses, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in expressing deep concern after the current administration signed a series of executive orders this week. We concur with Archbishop Timothy Briglio, President of the US Bishops’ Conference, stating “Some provisions contained in the Executive Orders, such as those focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and the environment, are deeply troubling, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us.” We will continue the good work of our Immigration Advocacy Group in supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ who are also immigrants, migrants, and/or refugees.

2024 Annual Report

Introduction

From February through May 2024, the Paulist Center Immigrant Advocacy Group has continued to advance its mission of welcoming, supporting, and advocating for immigrants and refugees in our community. Through direct assistance, public policy advocacy, and educational initiatives, our members and partners have made a tangible difference in the lives of newcomers and the broader community. We are grateful for the dedication of our volunteers, the generosity of our donors, and the collaboration of partner organizations.

Highlights

Direct Assistance to Newcomers

Haitian Family Resettlement: Paulist Center members have been actively supporting the resettlement of a Haitian family in Dorchester. The family has secured housing and work authorization and is now seeking employment.
Welcome Circles for Ukrainian Families: Our Welcome Circles initiative, led by Carol Geyer and generously funded by an anonymous donor, has secured housing for two Ukrainian families, who are expected to arrive in early May. Mary Sullivan has managed federal paperwork, with Temple Aliyah in Needham administering funds.
FREP Kindness Week: FREP students celebrated Kindness Week by organizing a donation drive, assembling and distributing care packages for families in local shelters.
Volunteer Mobilization: In partnership with the International Institute of New England (IINE), we have issued a call for volunteers to assist with ESOL, job search coaching, household setup, and ongoing support for families from Haiti, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. Chris O’Keeffe, Ed Marakovitz, and Sally Reyering have attended IINE volunteer orientation and are leading recruitment efforts.

Just and Merciful Public Policy

Safe Communities Act: We provided testimony and mobilized member advocacy in support of the Safe Communities Act, which would end state and local involvement in immigration enforcement.
Immigrants Day at the Statehouse: Ten Paulist Center members attended Immigrants Day at the Statehouse, carrying signs created by our FREP 4th-6th grade students.
Policy Team Formation: Our newly established policy team—Bill Bagley, Robin Chan, Liz Duclos-Orsello, Adrienne Murphy, and Chris O’Keeffe—has been coordinating advocacy and outreach.
Massachusetts Welcomes Campaign: We are participating in the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition’s #MassachusettsWelcomes campaign.
Legislative Outreach: We are gathering supporter information to facilitate outreach to local and state officials and recruiting constituents of key legislators to support the Safe Communities Act.

Educating Ourselves and Our Community

FREP Curriculum: Our 4th-6th grade FREP class has been learning about welcoming newcomers and preparing for Immigrants Day.
Oral History Project: Members have launched an oral history project to document and share immigrant experiences.
Community Training: Members of our group have attended trainings at IINE and MIRA to deepen understanding and strengthen our support network.
Intergenerational Dialogue: We hosted an intergenerational dialogue after Mass, fostering empathy and knowledge-sharing across generations.

Leadership and Governance

Steering Committee:
Carol Geyer, Sonia Caus Gleason, Christopher Spicer Hankle, Mary Hughes, Mary Lesko, Ed Marakovitz, Mary Skinner. Co-Chairs: Mi-Rang Yoon, Chris O’Keeffe. Staff: Susan Rutkowski

Looking Ahead

Expand Volunteer Engagement: Recruit and train additional volunteers for direct assistance and advocacy.
Sustain Policy Advocacy: Continue to support legislation that advances immigrant rights, including the Safe Communities Act and related initiatives.
Deepen Educational Efforts: Broaden community education through new workshops, oral histories, and intergenerational programming.
Strengthen Partnerships: Grow collaborations with organizations like IINE, MIRA, and local faith communities.

We thank our volunteers, partner organizations, and the Paulist Center community for their steadfast support and commitment to justice and welcome. Together, we are building a more compassionate and inclusive community.

April/May 2024

Direct Assistance to Newcomers

● A network of Paulist Center members has been helping to resettle a Haitian family. They have found housing and received work authorization. Now they are searching for employment.
● Our Welcome Circles initiative is working with two Ukrainian families. Housing has been secured and the families are expected to arrive in early May
● Our FREP students celebrated Kindness Week by soliciting donations of personal items and assembling them into packages for distribution to families in shelter ● We have issued a call for volunteers, in partnership with the International Institute of New England

Just and Merciful Public Policy

● We testified on behalf of the Safe Communities Act, and our members advocated with legislators on its behalf.
● Ten Paulist Center member Safe Communities Act attended Immigrants Day at the Statehouse, carrying signs created for us by our 4-6th grade FREP class.
● We have formed a policy team! Members include Bill Bagley, Robin Chan, Liz Duclos-Orsello, Adrienne Murphy and Chris O’Keeffe
● We are participating in the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition’s #MassachusettsWelcomes campaign

Educating Ourselves and Our Community

● FREP classes studied In addition to FREP Classes for Immigrant Day
● Oral history project

March 2024

Direct Assistance

Paulist Center FREP students are soliciting materials, assembling kits, and providing them to families. To explore, visit our Amazon Wish List (links)
We are recruiting volunteers for a variety of activities, including ESOL & job search coaching, household setup for new arrivals and ongoing assistance to families directly involved with Paulist Center community members, including folks from Haiti, Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Just and Merciful Public Policy

We are reaching out to our supporters at the Paulist Center (and enlisting new ones) to gather address information to facilitate outreach to local and state officials.
Immigrants Day. We are recruiting a Paulist Center contingent to attend this event at the State House on March 28. Our FREP 4th-6th grade and Jr/Sr high school groups will be helping with signs,etc..
Recruiting constituent of key legislators to support passage of the Safe Communities Act

Educating ourselves and our community

Or 4th-6th grade FREP class is learning how to welcome (link)
Members of our group are attending trainings at IINE, MIRA to learn more

February 2024

Direct Assistance

Welcome Circles. This is USCCB’s model for resettlement. Led by Carol Geyer, and generously funded by an anonymous community member who contributed $100,000, we are moving forward. Mary Sullivan is handling the federal paperwork and Temple Aliyah in Needham will administer the funds
Haitian Family. Bill Mitchell and his family are coordinating the resettlement of a Haitian family in Dorchester, with a big assist from Vincent Rocchio and several other PCC members.
International Institute of New England (IINE). We have identified IINE as a conduit for deploying volunteers to assist with…. Chris O’Keeffe,Ed Marakovitz and new IAG member Sally Reyering have attended a volunteer orientation at IINE and are working on plans to begin recruiting volunteers for IINE slots as well as for IAG’s resettlement and policy projects.

Just and Merciful Public Policy

We have established a policy team, which met on Jan 21: Bill Bagley, Robin Chan, Liz Duclos-Orsello, Adrienne Murphy and Chris O’Keeffe.

Recent policy achievements in which we have played a role:

Work and Family Mobility Act (WFMA, aka Driver’s License Bill) passed the legislature, overriding a gubernatorial veto, and survived a ballot challenge in Nov 2022. Implementation of the law began on July 1. WFMA will make our roads safer and greatly reduce the anxiety and stress endured by immigrant families.
Tuition Equity. As part of the FY2024 budget signed by governor Healey, all students who reside in Massachusetts will be eligible for in-state tuition rates, regardless of immigration status. This is a major win for myriad young people who have grown up here.
MA FY2024 Budget. The current state budget contains increased funding for a number of programs serving immigrants, addressing housing, employment and other needs. Our advocacy has helped to create a more supportive climate for these investments
2022 Isaac Hecker Award to Sr. Norma Pimentel, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley

Current priorities (in alignment with Mass Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)

Safe Communities Act. This bill would end state and local involvement in immigration enforcement. Chris testified on IAG’s behalf at the bill’s 1/22/24 hearing (attached)
Language Access and Inclusion Act to ensure that state agencies provide information and services in the primary languages of its limited English-proficient state residents
Upstream RAFT Act, to protect all low-income state residents from eviction or foreclosure by codifying and streamlining access to DHCD’s homelessness prevention programs and restoring critical COVID-era protections.
Cover All Kids Act, to expand comprehensive MassHealth coverage to children and young adults whose only barrier to eligibility is their immigration status.
Physician Pathway Act to marshall the skills of seasoned, internationally-trained physicians to address acute physician shortages in Massachusetts by creating a streamlined pathway to full licensure.
Immigrants Day at the State House. March 28, 9:00AM-1:00PM. How can the Paulist Center show up and lend support?

Educating Ourselves and Our Community

We hosted an Intergenerational dialogue with FREP after the 10:00AM Mass on Oct 11, 2023

Notes From the Steering Committee

Members include Chris O’Keeffe, Ed Marakovitz, Mary Lesko, Mary Hughes, Carol Geyer, Peter McLoughlin, Mi-Rang Yoon, Susan Rutkowski, Anne Mackin, Christopher Spicer Hankle, Mary Skinner,
The Steering Committee met on January 23, 2024. See meeting notes here

Archive

For past updates and activities, look here