DETROIT — An archdiocesan initiative aimed at helping people facing immigration problems and promoting the Church’s teachings on immigration issues kicked off April 21 with a summit at Holy Redeemer Parish in southwest Detroit.

The initiative is a pilot program that will, it is hoped, spread throughout Michigan, said Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Cepeda, who is also the delegate for Hispanic ministry for the Michigan Catholic Conference, which represents all seven dioceses in the state.

Bishop Cepeda spoke about the Church’s teachings on the rights of those who migrate to other countries, as set forth in papal encyclicals and statements of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“The human rights and dignity of migrants should be respected,” the bishop said.

The matter is of special concern to the 28 parishes in the archdiocese that have ministry to Hispanics, many of whom either have immigration problems themselves or have relatives who face such issues.
But Bishop Cepeda said the hope is to reach all parishes in the archdiocese — and eventually beyond it.
The archdiocese is joining with the Alliance for Immigrants Rights & Reform Michigan in launching the initiative, and the alliance’s director, Ryan Bate, presented a briefing on the status of immigration reform efforts at the summit.

There has been some relief in mandatory deportation policies, however, and while it fell short of his organization’s goal, people in jeopardy of deportation should be aware of their rights under the temporary dispensation of prosecutorial discretion.

Attendees also heard from Hayg Oshagan, a Wayne State University professor and director of Detroit Mayor David Bing’s Office of Immigrant Integration.

Oshagan said Detroit’s city government is committed to being immigrant-friendly and that Gov. Rick Snyder has said he does not want Michigan to adopt anti-immigrant policies similar to those in Arizona and Alabama.

About 100 people attended the summit, which provided both information and training. Fr. Russell Kohler, pastor of Most Holy Trinity and Ste. Anne de Detroit parishes, both with high percentages of Hispanic parishioners, was among the clergy in attendance.

“It’s a radical position of the Church to stand with the people always,” Fr. Kohler said.

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For more information on the initiative, contact Bishop Arturo Cepeda’s office at (313) 237-6051.