Immigration Reform, Religious Freedom, and Supporting Christians

Immigration Reform

The Catholic Church in the United States supports comprehensive immigration reform that upholds the dignity of the human person, promotes family unity, and combats any injustice that would compromise the dignity of immigrants. Many immigration issues are most appropriately addressed by national immigration authorities and the United States Congress.

Resources on the Church's beliefs on immigration can be found here:

U.S. Bishops: Church's Position on Immigration Reform

Michigan Catholic Conference: Immigration Reform in Michigan

Religious Freedom

Catholics have long been staunch defenders of God-given religious liberty. Today, such liberty is threatened in our country by government intrusion. Both the federal and state governments have made attempts to inhibit – and even to make illegal – efforts by Catholics and Catholic institutions to operate according to their faith.

Persecuted Christians

Archbishop Allen Vigneron urges prayers and support for Christians and others in the Middle East who are subject to violence because of their faith. The Archdiocese of Detroit acutely feels the impact of religious persecution in Iraq and the Middle East because of its close ties with our large local Chaldean population in the Southfield-based Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle. Because of the relationship between the archdiocese and the Chaldean Eparchy, Archbishop Vigneron was one of three Roman Catholic archbishops in North America to participate in the 2010 Vatican Synod of Bishops in the Middle East.

See: Help Iraq: Website of the St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Eparchy (Donations Accepted)