Skip to main content
Immigration ministry

Immigration

 

We are working to hold sacred the dignity of each person, regardless of origin.
Among other efforts, we call on all elected officials to work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform.
We're committed to advocating for all people on the move.

 


Response and Action

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration stand with other Catholic Sister congregations, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and many groups around the United States in resisting President Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugee families. As a congregation founded in 1849 by German immigrants— to serve German immigrants— we’re calling for compassion and action. 

We call on all elected officials to work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform. 

We call everyone to remember: respect matters. Words matter. Information matters. We are stronger when we come together. During 2024, we co-hosted two Immigration Summits with our friends at Coulee Region Immigration Task Force and the Franciscan Spirituality Center. During those events, we not only heard about the importance of our words and narrative, but we heard from dairy farmers on the importance of a thriving workforce. We heard from additional panelists sharing stories of the many ways in which immigrant families enrich our communities (watch the narrative change presentation below).  

We're committed to advocating for the good of all people. Our Franciscan tradition is rooted in promoting peace and justice in the world. Within our organization, our work is guided by our commitments to build relationships, be transformed by Gospel living and challenge our white privilege, working toward equity and inclusion of all. We’ve committed in 2025 to make our teams stronger as we continue this work. Please follow our events page for important immigration events.

 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

CLINIC (online resources and training)
This organization ultimately serves nearly 500,000 immigrants a year, making it the largest nonprofit immigration law organization in the country. 

Voces de la Frontera
(online resources and training)

This organization offers both online and in person training; its mission is to protect and expand civil rights and workers' rights through leadership development, community organizing and empowerment.

ADVOCATE

Join NETWORK Advocates for Justice and participate in the Economy for All, guided by Pope Francis who said, “Today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion.” NETWORK demands that our elected leaders make policy choices that allow all of us to thrive.

 

GAMALIEL is committed to working for equal opportunity and fair treatment of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Visit 

 

KINO BORDER INITIATIVE  

Kino Border Initiative is an organization with a "Migration with Dignity" vision.

KBI's resource page includes stories of hope and resilience, lesson plans and "Voices of the Border," a book filled with powerful personal accounts from migrants crossing the
US-Mexico border.  

Sister Eileen McKenzie serves as a mobilization specialist for KBI. 

Immigration Summit Resources

FSPA co-hosted two Coulee Region Immigration Summits during 2024. Both times, attendees learned to rewrite the story about migrancy. People in migration are are people on the move who have traditions and families and histories — just like event attendees. People in migration are people with dignity. The summits featured Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Eileen McKenzie of Kino Border Initiative, an organization with a mission of migration with dignity. Sister Eileen shared that “We need to be conscious of how we speak,” about migration. The stories we typically hear and see are dehumanizing, and repeating them only reinforces negative perceptions. Instead society should be listening to their personal stories about life, lifting up the resiliency and faith of people experiencing forced migration with their children, their parents, their family members. Sister Eileen also hosted "How Narrative Drives Change," a 75-minute workshop that engages viewers with examples of how our language--our words--matter. Practical examples are shared throughout the presentation that show viewers the importance of focusing on people instead of numbers and disconnected facts.

 

Perspectives

People are fleeing humanitarian crisis in their home countries only to be barred from asylum by hundreds of miles of barbed wire and red tape. FSPA honors the sacredness and dignity of these people, to call for comprehensive immigration reform and to join in the work of others to enact change. Storytelling is a powerful tool; here are three we hope contribute to social change. 

An Archive of Immigration Updates

Franciscan Action Network presented an Immigration Update on Feb. 3, 2025, featuring panelists David Spicer, Gio Oaxaca, Rev. Julio Hernandez, and Nubia Torres.

Sister Eileen McKenzie served as a presenter during "Migration: What Happens Next," recorded Feb. 11, 2025. She was one of three presenters offering information on what is already being done to help migrants on American shores and borders.

Ronnate Asirwatham, government relations director and lead lobbyist on immigration for NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, was a guest at the September 2022 FSPA Encuentro@TheBorder presentation.

Hand in Hand, Welcoming Migrants at the Border, features Joanna Williams, executive director of the Kino Border Initiative. She shares the joys and challenges while serving thousands of migrants who are deported to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, or arrive fleeing Central America.

Sister Norma Pimentel has been the face of compassion and care for more than 100,000 immigrants along the Texas-Mexico border. During this presentation she shares what she sees on a daily basis at the border.

Sisters Rose Elsbernd, Kristin Peters and Theresa Keller, with then FSPA Justice & Peace Promoter Pat Ruda, ministered at Tuscon's Casa Alitas and with Kino Border Initiative in Nogales. 

How can we show compassion without borders and love without boundaries? What does it take to navigate legal systems to become a citizen of a different country? What are the root causes of inequity for those who migrate? Watch this episode of Exploring Intersections featuring a conversation about migration.

six women stand in front of Kino Border Initative in Nogales, Sonora, MexicoThe Kino Border Initiative immersion program humanizes and complicates immigration issues. This small group of pilgrims who visisted KBI hails from the Upper Midwest, all with professional and spiritual connections to FSPA in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Read their story here.

 

Get Involved

Coulee Region Immigration Task Force
Coulee Region Immigration Task Force welcomes, advocates, and educates in the service of new, recent, and established immigrants in the Wisconsin's Coulee Region. Learn more about and volunteer with Coulee Region Immigration Task Force.

Centro Latino, La Crosse, Wisconsin
The task force welcomes La Crosse, Wisconsin's Latino population to Centro Latino located inside First Baptist Church, 1209 Main Street. Centro Latino offers free English as a second language classes as well as a welcoming space where hospitality, support and compassionate presence are extended to the Latino community. For more information, email centrolatinolacrosse@gmail.com.


About the Artwork 
Annemarie Erb Barrett created the original watercolor pictured at the top of this page as an expression of "dignity and respect" for all. FSPA commissioned Annemarie to create this for the cover of Perspectives magazine.