Pope Leo XIV has inherited a migration crisis of historic proportions. As the leader of the universal church, he stands as one of the few global leaders able and willing to speak out in defense of the migrant.
J. Kevin Appleby
J. Kevin Appleby is a senior fellow at the Center for Migration Studies of New York and the former director of migration policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Posted inShort Take
80 years after Hiroshima, the world still lives under threat of nuclear destruction
I’ve traveled to Hiroshima as part of a Catholic peace delegation. Our purpose is to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombings and to express solidarity with the Catholic community after these tragic events.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
Pope Leo XIV faces a difficult challenge on migration. He might be up to the task.
An early signal that Leo XIV will build upon Pope Francis’ advocacy for immigrants could show that the church’s efforts are not tied to one pope but to 2,000 years of Catholic teaching.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
The U.S. bishops have stopped resettling refugees in the Trump era. What does the future hold?
To stop the important work of refugee resettlement is to lose part of the church’s identity in the United States.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
4 areas where Trump and Catholics might find common ground on immigration—in principle
Areas for possible dialogue between the church and the Trump administration included anti-human-trafficking efforts, the status of Dreamers and the right of a nation to control its borders.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
Six suggestions for conflicted Catholic voters in 2024
Some Catholic voters are struggling with their decision and may not make up their minds until it’s time to pull the lever—and that group could very well decide the election.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
What you may not hear about immigration during the Biden-Trump debate
This week’s debate could be an opportunity to inform voters that the economy needs immigrants for economic growth, but so far both candidates have focused on border control.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
Catholics have to talk about both: Justice for migrants and border security
To reach Catholics in the pews—and to influence public policy on immigration—church leaders should make it clear that they are not advocating for “open borders.”
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
‘Heaven has borders, hell has none’: Debunking the GOP narrative that God wants anti-immigrant legislation
Ron DeSantis has signaled that he will make Florida’s restrictive immigration policies a centerpiece of his presidential campaign. He is ignoring the fact that our nation relies on immigrant labor.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
Joe Biden’s immigration policy shift is against Catholic teaching
President Biden said the right things during the 2020 campaign, but his immigration policy is beginning to resemble that of Donald Trump.