The media has reported that Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts will begin next week in Chicago immediately after his inauguration.
At least one Catholic Church in the Chicago area is advising parishioners to oppose Trump’s deportation efforts and equipping them with a list of resources that can be used to fight deportation actions.
Fr. Michael Nacius, pastor of Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest, published the following column in the Church’s weekly bulletin this week:
Each day we are able to express our faith, growing in virtue, modeling Catholic values. I am sharing a letter from the Superintendent of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago in my article today. Mr. Greg Richmond, Superintendent of Catholic Schools wrote the following earlier this month:
Dear Pastors and Principals,
As we begin 2025, our parishes and school leaders may face increased uncertainty about how to address situations involving undocumented immigrant students and students from families that include undocumented members. In Catholic Schools, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment regardless of their immigration status. This includes welcoming undocumented immigrant and newcomer families.
These students and families face multiple challenges, and we are dedicated to assisting your efforts to support them. How we address any such situations, particularly our actions, must be consistent both with Catholic social teaching and with the civil laws and directives governing immigration. We offer this information as a starting place in your preparation for a new environment.
Catholic Social Teaching:In the words of Cardinal Cupich, “We welcome all, respect all, and strive to love all as members of God’s family. We refuse to reject anyone out of hand, and we insist that all who come to us (legally or illegally) must be treated with the courtesy we would extend to Christ himself.”
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has explained Catholic social teaching on immigration in its teaching memo; “Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration and the Movement of Peoples.” In brief, it lists three basic principles: people have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families; a country has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration; and a country must regulate its borders with justice and mercy.
We are proud of the compassion with which you encounter every family and trust that you will continue to be examples of our uniquely Catholic approach to working with those affected by immigration issues. In that spirit we encourage you to share the following resources with your school community:
Referrals for Immigration Resources:The National Immigrant Justice Center has videos and fliers about Mass Deportation Threats and what to do if one encounters ICE: immigrantjustice.org/know-your-rights. Illinois nonprofits that provide assistance to immigrants can be found at this link: www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/search?state=IL. In addition, the Archdiocesan Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity provides a list of resources for assisting families addressing immigration. View their webpage at pvm.archchicago.org/human-dignity-and-solidarity/about-us.
Resources on Guardianship for school families:It may be possible that families will need to make alternative living arrangements for their children. Guidance on applying for temporary guardianship is available from nonprofits such as the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation: www.cvls.organd the National Immigrant Justice Center:
immigrantjustice.org/know-your-rights. If parents want individual help they can contact Rebekah Azar Rashidfarokhi at Rebekah@cvls.orgor (312) 332.7399.
Compliance with Civil Authorities: In this new year, we should be prepared for a new federal government immigration environment, including possible encounters with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws and directives.
Here are the steps you must take if any representative of the federal government arrives at your school:
- Ask the representative for identification, the purpose of their visit, and a copy of their business card.
- Be polite with the representative. Inform her/him that you intend to cooperate with them but to do so you must contact the Archdiocese Office of Legal Services for further direction.
- Please notify the Archdiocese Office of Legal Services Senior Immigration Counsel, Olga Rojas at (312)534.8332 or by email atorojas@archchicago.org for immigration matters, or Senior Counsel, John di John, at (312) 534.5370 or by email at jdijohn@archchicago.orgregarding employment or school matters (e.g. I-9 Audit and Requests to Enter). Forward to them documentation provided by the federal representative.
- The Office of Legal Services will provide you with direction on steps to be taken. Address any questions about the above directions to Olga Rojas or John di John.
- After notifying the Office of Legal Services, also notify your Director of School Operations that you were contacted by ICE, providing the date of the contact and a short description of the nature of the contact.
Following the above steps will ensure your school is cooperating with federal authorities as required by law. Failure to cooperate with a federal representative may have serious consequences for your school and the Archdiocese. It is important to know the many situations under which a representative of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes ICE, may appear at your school.
Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS): The Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools have foreign students enrolled as F-1 students through the SEVIS program. ICE may visit your school unannounced or may schedule review of information related to only those students enrolled via the SEVIS program or to verify changes to the school itself such as an address change or merger. Further, in connection with the SEVIS program, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) can visit the homes/dormitories where children reside. These visits are routine and conducted to ensure SEVIS program compliance. A warrant is not needed for these visits.
Religious Worker/H1-B:If your school or parish employs a person who requires a Religious Worker or H-1B visa, representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) may conduct a site visit related to this Immigration sponsorship. Most site visits are unannounced. These visits are routine and conducted to ensure the person’s employment is consistent with representations set forth in the sponsorship application. A warrant is not needed for these visits.
I-9 Audits:Representatives of ICE, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office for Immigrant Employee Rights (IER) can come onto to the premises with just a Notice of Inspection to inspect your I-9 records for compliance with federal employment law. No warrant is needed.
Warrant, Court Order or Request to Enter for Other Reasons: Representatives of ICE or other federal agencies may arrive at your school to enforce immigration laws. These visits will be unannounced and may be pursuant to a warrant or court order. If the official presents a valid warrant or court order, they must be permitted access to the property. If the official does not present a warrant or court order, but merely requests to enter for a reason unrelated to any of the matters described in the above bullets the law does not grant them access to your property. Our response to requests to enter should be the same as when such requests are made by local law enforcement or DCFS and any information release must be in accordance with the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).
To prepare for any possible interaction with civil authorities you should ensure your student and employee records are in order. To that end, consider taking the following steps:
- Student Data Review: Ensure you have emergency contacts for all students in the event the parent(s)/guardian(s) is not available in an emergency situation. For students on F-1 Student Visas, any changes to the home address or the guardian must be immediately reported to Miriam Shabo via email at mshabo@archchicago.orgas she is required to notify SEVIS within 10 days.
- I-9 Forms Segregation: In anticipation of a possible I-9 audit, you should make sure I-9 forms are separated from your employee personnel files so they alone can be expeditiously provided to the requesting agent.
It is important we remain calm and measured in our response to this time of uncertainty. We hope the information provided above will help guide you in upholding Catholic teaching and complying with civil authorities. We encourage you to contact our office and the Office of Legal Services if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your continued dedication to supporting all families and modeling Catholic values.”
TAKE ACTION: Catholics who disagree with the guidance offered by the Archdiocese of Chicago may want to weigh-in by contacting Mr. Greg Richmond at ocs@archchicago.org or by calling 312.534.5200.