Under new rules adopted by the Obama administration last year, deportation will now be reserved for undocumented felons, national security risks or repeat immigration offenders. Undocumented immigrants guilty of only minor legal violations and who have long and substantial ties in the United States would have their deportation cases set aside. The policy shift addresses one of the major concerns of the U.S. bishops. They have long argued that immigrant families should not be broken up over small offenses. The change is “a potential seismic shift in enforcement,” said Geoffrey Scowcroft, an attorney who manages immigration legal services for Catholic Charities in Oregon. “We are in the very early stages of this, but this policy is as close to good news as we have seen in years,” he said. The Department of Homeland Security described the new discretion as a way to unclog immigration courts, which are now backlogged with more than 300,000 cases.
In 2012, Fewer Deportations Likely
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It was a truly hectic Sunday, May 25, for the American-born pope, as he visited the two major basilicas: St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major, and met with the mayor of Rome.
Describing the Curia as the institution that preserves “the historical memory of the church,” Pope Leo called on these Vatican employees to “work together” with him “in the great cause of unity and love.”
Pope Leo offered a heartening message for a global media that has endured a pretty awful year.
If you think our enthusiasm for our basketball team was intense, just wait until you see our support for Pope Leo XIV.