Years prior to its closing, the facility held only about 30 detainees on any given day. Several government efforts to curb immigration from Mexico and Latin America occurred between 1954 and 1983, but detention rates remained relatively low during those years.
In opposition to former court rulings, which decriminalized unlawful residence in the United States. Unlawful residence was made a misdemeanor punishable by a $1000 fine and one year in prison.
It was originally a processing center and quickly became the first immigration detention facility in the world.
It prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the United States — marking the first class of people excluded based on race. The federal law also created the nation’s first immigration inspectors, as well as a process for deportation.
Dear Faith Community,
On a recent visit to El Paso and Hatch, NM, I was truly blessed to meet such caring and generous communities. The visit lifted my spirit and gave me hope during these challenging times. I was welcomed with open arms and felt such strong kindness that it inspires me in my work in immigration. I wish to thank all those I met, including the farm workers in the area, and those in the Dioceses of El Paso and Las Cruces. Bless you all, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
- Miguel Naranjo
Distinguished members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spoke to the press at Centro de los Trabajadores Agricolas Fronterizos in El Paso, as part of the USCCB Pastoral Encounter with Migrants at the border on Sept. 23-27. They discussed the crucial and dignified work that agricultural workers do to provide for their families and communities across the United States.
The community celebrated Mass in Hatch, NM, at Our Lady of Worship Parish Hall on Sept. 26. Texas and New Mexico saw an influx of asylum seekers in April. The parishioners discussed how they had welcomed the newcomers in the following months. Members of the migrant farm workers community spoke about the difficulty of their work, recognizing the value of providing a service to the community.
The trip to New Mexico would not be complete without seeing beautiful traditional dances like the ones below. It was meaningful to see more than 200 people gathered to watch the performances. The children were happy to be sharing their heritage and the parents were proud to see them continue these traditions.
Thursday ended with an unscheduled and emotional visit to a memorial of the Aug. 3 attack at Walmart in El Paso. CLINIC Board Vice President Bishop Mark J. Seitz and two of his priests spoke about the events, described the Catholic community’s resilience and strength, and prayed over the city.
Growing up in the border town of Ciudad Juarez, Fr. Jose Ruiz, known as Pepe, never realized how complicated getting a U.S. visa could be.
“I always had a visa,” he said, reflecting on the ease of entering the United States to go shopping or on vacation. “I was blissfully unaware of the many hurdles involved in getting a visa.”
His proximity and exposure to the United States also helped him realize his calling. He joined the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, in the United States, recognizing “how much need there was for Spanish-speaking priests.” As he went through formation, he made the change from an F-1 student visa to an R-1 religious worker visa with the guidance of his CLINIC attorney and staff. He recalls how the Jesuits’ confidence and trust in CLINIC allowed him to focus his energy on formation and discernment.
For the first two years of his novitiate, Fr. Pepe drove with priests around Alabama and Louisiana. His ability to speak Spanish helped him relate to a larger audience and allowed him to serve communities that might otherwise not have access to religious resources.
“The Latino community’s desire and thirst for ministry in their own language has always moved me to greater generosity,” he said. “In fact, almost everywhere I’ve been in the United States during my formation someone will find out that I speak Spanish and send me many requests for help — often more than I am able to support.” People felt safer and more comfortable opening up about difficult situations in their mother tongue. Fr. Pepe said that breaking down linguistic and cultural barriers gets you to “the substance of a person’s religious life and allows you to connect in a way that provides them with sustenance for their faith.”
For Fr. Pepe, being a religious worker in the United States allowed him to fulfill his calling and fill a need within the broader Latino community. “It is a great gift to be able to listen to people in a way that makes them feel understood.”
After spending time in Italy and Spain to complete a master’s degree, Fr. Pepe applied for naturalization in December 2018. His oath ceremony took place the following June, coinciding with his fourth anniversary as a priest — it was a “wonderful coincidence, since being a U.S. citizen supports my ministry in the Jesuits USA Central and Southern Province now and will do so in the future.”
Reflecting on his immigration journey, Fr. Pepe said: “now that I am a U.S. citizen, in the midst of everything that is going on in the country around immigration, I am even more convinced the people at CLINIC do have superpowers.”
Currently a pastor at the Buen Pastor Parish in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Fr. Pepe is enjoying the freedom of movement citizenship provides while thinking about commencing Tertianship and his second 30-day silent retreat. “Honestly,” he said, “I’m also excited about being able to participate in future elections and being a part of U.S. American society more fully.”
To learn more about CLINIC’s Religious Immigration Services, visit our webpage.
As it has for more than 30 years, CLINIC will fight for the rights of immigrants. CLINIC trains legal representatives who provide high-quality and affordable immigration legal services. We develop and sustain a network of nonprofit programs that serve over 500,000 immigrants every year. We cultivate projects that support and defend vulnerable immigrant populations by:
History has taught us that people who step up can make a difference. We hope you will join us.
Embracing the Gospel value of welcoming the stranger, CLINIC promotes the dignity and protects the rights of immigrants in partnership with a dedicated network of Catholic and community legal immigration programs. We are based out of Silver Spring, Maryland (Washington, D.C. metropolitan area), with an office in Oakland, California, and additional staff working from locations throughout the country. Questions and inquiries can be sent to national@cliniclegal.org.
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