Immigration Law and Policy Initiative

The Immigration Law and Policy Initiative [ILPI] aims to advance teaching, interdisciplinary research, fact-finding, policy reform, and advocacy to protect the rights and dignity of individuals fleeing their home countries and seeking refuge in the U.S. The Initiative recognizes the Catholic Church’s leadership on migration issues worldwide and seeks to contribute to the Church’s efforts to advance the human rights of all individuals regardless of citizenship or national origin. The Initiative also aims to motivate the Catholic University community to grapple with the challenges of migration in response to Pope Francis’ call for Catholic universities to “educate their own students… to a clearer understanding of the phenomenon of migration, within a perspective of justice, global responsibility, and communion in diversity.”

Adopting a collaborative model, the Initiative partners with CUA’s Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Clinic, the National Catholic School of Social Service, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Office of Migration & Refugee Services, Catholic Charities USA, and other religiously affiliated and secular organizations to educate and advocate on immigration and refugee law issues. The Initiative also expands curricular opportunities for students and promotes legal career paths in these fields.

The Initiative’s substantive focus changes with the evolving needs of organizational partners and the expertise of Catholic Law faculty and staff affiliated with the Initiative. ILPI currently focuses on the following issue areas:

  • Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Children, Families, and Communities
  • Humane Border Regulation & Detention Policy
  • Preserving Access to Asylum and Other Forms of Humanitarian Protection
  • Developing Accurate Narratives to Inform Meaningful Immigration Reform
Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Clinic/Immigration Law and Policy Initiative

 

ILPI News and Events

CatholicU President Kilpatrick discussion at the Immigration Conference in April 2024The Initiative sponsors, in collaboration with various departments at the University and external partners, conferences to educate and encourage dialogue on migration. The first conference, Responding to Changing Realities at the U.S. Border and Beyond – Catholic Approaches to Migration took place on April 11, 2024.

The second conference, Rethinking Migration Narratives – Catholic Immigration Advocacy in 2025 and Beyond, was held from March 3 - 5, 2025. Click the button below to view ILPI news updates. 

 

Use the form below to request for more information about the Immigration Law and Policy Initiative and to be updated on events.