Welcoming the stranger amid rising fear
Author: Russ Testa
Date Published: June 05, 2025
There is currently rising fear and tension in countless communities where there are significant numbers of immigrants.
Some examples that fuel this fear may include:
1. Masked ICE agents entering a laundromat and asking for papers without completed warrants.
2. Traffic stops near schools or churches where ICE targets individuals who "look like immigrants."
3. People being arrested and receiving deportation orders when attending standard asylum check-ins or green card appointments.
4. U.S. citizens who "look like migrants" getting arrested for not having immediate proof of citizenship or legal status.
These examples and countless others were shared at the most recent immigration check-in among friars and ministry partners of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Conventual Province of Our Lady of Angels and Secular Franciscans.
Uncertainty and fear
Many of our immigrant brothers and sisters in our ministries and communities are afraid. Their fear is heightened and shared by the friars and others who are serving them.
The Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation is working with friars and other to prepare resources to address these concerns and provide guidelines to help us be prudent in our actions. More details will be provided in the coming weeks.
A Franciscan response
What can we do in response? Our Franciscan tradition was founded in the spirit of itinerancy. We naturally hold people “on the move,” like migrants, close to our hearts. We also know that both the Old Testament and the Gospel are clear that we must prioritize “welcoming the strangers” (those who are not yet part of the community and thus more marginalized).
Friars and ministries already have sought to “welcome the strangers” in our midst through:
Training people to know their legal rights
Directing them to legal assistance,
Prayer and spiritual support
Advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform and just immigration policies
These efforts need to be enhanced as we hear that the U.S. Government wants to increase daily immigration-related arrests from 1,800 to 3,000.
If the Reconciliation Bill now before the Senate passes, ICE and other immigration enforcement agencies will have increased resources and personnel to increase arrests. This policy is likely to severely impact established communities, given the limited influx of new arrivals who are easier to deport. It may also result in an increase in deportation activities.
As we face these challenges, it is vital to continue nurturing environments of compassion and support, guided by our Franciscan commitment to justice and peace.
By connecting with local communities, we can build networks that uplift those directly impacted and raise awareness about the effects of immigration policies. Through dialogue and collaboration, we affirm the importance of human dignity and address systemic barriers, blending spiritual devotion with advocacy to fulfill the sacred call to "welcome strangers" in impactful and transformative ways.
We also recognize that our current immigration structure does not work and has not worked for several years. The process to come to the United States is complicated, expensive and unrealistic for most people fleeing violence and economic and social chaos. For at least 15 years, the Order of Friars Minor has recognized that justice and support for migrants is a core part of our JPIC values.
If you want to do more to “welcome the strangers” in your midst, please reach out to the Province’s JPIC Office and share what you have found helpful in your own ministries.
Resources offered by our JPIC Office include:
Monthly check-ins to share experiences and support one another.
How to help people know their rights.
Preparation of family emergency plans.
Establish local allies to assist you.
Connections for finding legal help.
Prayer and community formation ideas.
Advocacy opportunities.