CV NEWS FEED // Raymond G. Lahoud, representing the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, is continuing his commitment to the defense of immigrant priests and religious workers who are risking deportation to continue serving their communities.
The Diocese of Paterson filed a lawsuit in August accusing the federal government of “unwarranted discrimination against nonimmigrant religious workers and their religious employers,” as reported by CatholicVote.
This action followed a March 2023 announcement by the U.S. Department of State, which introduced new visa provisions, including no longer providing separate final action and filing dates for certain nonimmigrant workers, including religious workers from Northern Central America. The new rule, which went into effect on May 1, 2023, was implemented without a public comment period.
Lahoud criticized these changes as a breach of constitutional protections for religious freedom, according to a Morningstar report. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging community support to challenge what he described as unconstitutional actions.
Lahoud stated that these religious workers “have made a commitment to the faithful Diocese of Paterson and to the Roman Catholic Church which is now being impeded on by the federal government.”
According to the Morningstar report, the lawsuit highlights a dilemma for noncitizen religious workers who must choose between staying with their congregations and risking legal repercussions, or abandoning their service.
Diocese of Paterson Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney expressed concern that these regulatory changes threaten their ability to serve their communities effectively, stressing the critical role of foreign-born clergy in their mission.
“The State Department’s change to the regulations threatens our mission to serve our communities,” Bishop Sweeney said.
