On May 4, the day of the discussion, all who have RSVP’d will receive an email with a link and step-by-step instructions on how to join the livestream.

This urgent United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Georgetown University gathering will bring together young, diverse leaders from the border, on policy, in the Church, and from the immigrant community at a time of conflict and crises on U.S. policies toward immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. The country and Congress are divided. The Biden administration is challenged by growing numbers of families and young people coming to the U.S. southern border and has been slow to raise the historically low cap of 15,000 refugee admissions set by the Trump administration. This is despite his pledge to raise refugee admissions to 62,500 for this fiscal year.

This gathering of young Catholic and Latino leaders will explore questions such as:
—Why can’t the United States develop, enact, and implement just, compassionate, and effective immigration policies?
—What are the human, moral, and policy costs of this failure?
—How can Gospel values and Catholic social teaching shape a different path forward?
—Can young Catholic and Latino leaders help change this tragic situation?
—How can younger leaders challenge old partisan narratives, overcome polarization and paralysis, and seek to protect human dignity and advance the common good?

PARTICIPANTS:
—Ana Chavarin is a young immigrant mother and winner of the 2019 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. She is a leader with Pima County Interfaith.
—Dylan Corbett is the founding director of Hope Border Institute. He is a former staffer with the Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
—Jessica Hernandez is the coordinator for Hispanic Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, a DACA recipient, and is currently studying for her M.A. in Theology and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College.
—Sr. Norma Pimentel, M.J., is the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, a longtime advocate for immigrants and refugees, and the recipient of the University of Notre Dame’s 2018 Laetare Medal.
—Anna Misleh, project manager of the Initiative, will moderate the conversation.

This Salt and Light and Latino Leader Gathering for young Catholics under 40 is co-sponsored by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the following departments at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
—Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development (JPHD);
—Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth (LMFLY);
—Department of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS);
—Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church (CDC); and
—National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry (NATYAM).

This gathering will have closed captions. For all other accommodation requests, please email [email protected] by May 3. A good faith effort will be made to fulfill requests.

Photo credit: Migrants and Refugees Section of the Vatican.