The Catholic Church and Central American Immigrants in the United States

This chapter focuses on the historic and contemporary role of the Catholic Church in leading ecumenical efforts in supporting Central American immigrants. In sharp contrast to the state, which has refused to extend assistance to the migrants, the Catholic Church (as well as some mainline Protestant congregations) has offered Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Honduran immigrants assistance and protection. Since the 1980s, these churches have created sanctuaries throughout the country to protect these migrants from deportation to life-threatening conditions in their homelands, have provided settlement assistance, championed the legal struggle that eventually granted Temporary Protected Status to Salvadorans as well as other legal battles that have extended protection to these immigrants, and issued pastoral calls to remind Catholics to welcome immigrants into their communities. This chapter focuses on churches and their efforts to change immigration policy and, in doing so, to change the broader context of reception for Central Americans and for other immigrants as well. The Catholic Church continues to play a pivotal role in all spheres of life in Central America as well as among Central American migrants in the United States.