USCCB Calls On Catholics To Recognize Migrants' 'Courage'

The Catholic Church in the U.S. will observe National Migration Week 2025 from Sept. 22–28, highlighting solidarity with migrants and refugees and renewing calls for a more humane immigration system. Now in its 45th year, the week reflects on the Church’s immigrant roots and the contributions of generations of newcomers.

The U.S. bishops urged Catholics to recognize the courage of migrants, echoing Pope Francis’ 2025 World Day of Migrants and Refugees theme, “Migrants, Missionaries of Hope.” They stressed that migrants witness to hope despite hardship, and that immigration policy must both protect communities and uphold human dignity.

The bishops indicated their support for Pope Leo's message for the 2025 World Day of Migrants and Refugees: “Pope Leo XIV has continued to emphasize the dignity of migrants.”

“In a world darkened by war and injustice, even when all seems lost, migrants and refugees stand as messengers of hope. Their courage and tenacity bear heroic testimony to a faith that sees beyond what our eyes can see and gives them the strength to defy death on the various contemporary migration routes,” reads the quote of the pope’s message.

Against the backdrop of intensified deportation operations, the bishops reaffirmed their opposition to fear-driven enforcement and called for bipartisan solutions. They invited parishes, schools, and organizations to mark the week with prayer, education, outreach, and support for migrant ministries, using resources available on the USCCB’s Justice for Immigrants website.