Policy & Advocacy
Backgrounder on the Root Causes of Migration and the Church's Response, January 2016
Backgrounder on the Root Causes of Migration and the Church's Response January 2016
Since 2011 the United States experienced a sharp rise in migration of unaccompanied children and families from Central America driven by a “perfect storm” of interrelated root causes. The U.S. bishops frame migration as largely forced by violence, economic desperation, weak governance, lack of education and jobs, and family reunification pressures. The Church calls for addressing these root causes through just trade, targeted development, stronger governance and human-rights protections, humane U.S. immigration policies, and alternatives to detention.
Address migration by preventing forced displacement at its roots—through trade reform, inclusive development, governance and human-rights strengthening—while reforming U.S. immigration practices to be humane, provide legal counsel, and favor alternatives to detention.
Root causes of migration
- Violence and insecurity: Gang activity, the drug trade, and generalized violence push people to flee.
- Economic distress: Unemployment, poverty, and weakened agriculture have left many unable to support their families.
- Weak rule of law: Low trust in institutions, corruption, and fragile governance reduce citizens’ confidence in remaining home.
- Lack of education and opportunity: Poor access to quality education and living-wage jobs drives migration.
- Family reunification: Desire to join relatives in the U.S. amplifies migration flows.
- Trade impacts: Free trade agreements and U.S. trade policies have harmed agriculture and labor in sending countries, contributing to economic displacement.
Conditions in the U.S. immigration system
- Expanding detention: Between 1994 and 2013 the daily detained population grew more than fivefold; annual detainees rose from about 85,000 to over 440,000.
- Detention industry concerns: The bishops warn the system preys on vulnerable people, most of whom are not criminals.
Church principles and policy priorities
- Right to remain at home: People should have the ability to support themselves at home; migration should be a choice, not necessity.
- Just trade: Trade policy should include labor standards, reduce distortive subsidies, tariffs and quotas, and protect affected sectors with safety nets.
- Development and aid: U.S. assistance should foster inclusive growth, employment creation, health, housing, education, disaster risk reduction, and partnerships with local governments, private sector, and civil society.
- Governance and human rights: Support democratic institutions, rule of law, accountability, protection of human rights and religious freedom, and safeguard environment and indigenous rights.
- Address external economic pressures: Tackle excessive foreign debt and other destabilizing international economic factors.
- Tackle violence drivers: Control illicit drugs, curtail arms trafficking, reduce corruption, and disrupt human trafficking networks.
Immigration and detention reforms
- End deterrent detention policy: The U.S. should stop using detention as a deterrent and avoid returning de facto refugees to danger.
- Legal representation: Provide government-funded counsel for unrepresented, indigent migrants, especially unaccompanied children and vulnerable families.
- Alternatives to detention: Expand community-based, case-management ATD programs operated by service organizations; increase ATD funding and use.
- Limit mandatory detention: Repeal mandatory detention except for the most serious criminal and national security cases, allowing judges to consider release and alternatives.