USCCB Subcommittee Chairman Announces Nearly $1 Million In Grants, Efforts For Comprehensive Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON—TheCatholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the official domesticanti-poverty agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), hasapproved special grants totaling $800,000 to mobilize Catholics on behalf ofcomprehensive immigration reform and to prepare Catholic institutions to servecommunities benefiting from the reform legislation.

"These grants represent adistinctively Catholic contribution in promoting comprehensive immigrationreform. They will strengthen the capacity of our institutions to help immigrantfamilies come out from the shadows and participate more actively in American society,"said Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California, chairman of the U.S. bishops'CCHD subcommittee.

Bishop Soto made the announcement March 5, after the members ofthe CCHD subcommittee determined that swift action by the Catholic communitywas essential in advancing the recently emerging prospects for immigrationreform.

These grants will support efforts topromote immigration reform by Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., anorganization founded by the USCCB that supports immigrants' rights; PICONational Network, a network of faith-based community organizations that workswith Catholic parishes across the country; and the Justice for ImmigrantsCampaign, an initiative of the USCCB that works to educate Catholics on Churchteaching about immigration and promote immigration reform.

With these recently announcedgrants, CCHD will have committed more than $3,500,000 in the past year tosupport grassroots organizations working locally on immigration reform.

"There is an urgent need to mobilizeresources efficiently in order to meet the challenge when the possibility forreal immigration reform has never been closer," Bishop Soto said. "CCHD ispoised to make a significant difference in a way consistent with our missionand identity. The efforts being supported are rooted in Catholic socialteaching about the dignity of the human person and reflect the Church's deep historicties to generations of immigrants who have come to America."

Funds will help in promotingeducation in parishes, grassroots organizing among agencies, mobilizingpolitical support from Catholics across the nation and assisting communities thatwill benefit from any eventual reform legislation.

Moreinformation is available online: www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/.

---

Keywords: immigration reform; immigrants; Bishop Jaime Soto,Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CCHD, U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops, USCCB, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, PICO National Network,Justice for Immigrants Campaign, Administration, Congress

# # # # #