Rome: At an international conference on migration in Rome, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) urged Catholic institutions to lead a global response to the growing crisis of displacement, warning of the moral and social costs of harsh migration crackdowns, particularly in the United States.
Donald Kerwin, Director of Advocacy, Research, Policy and Partnerships for JRS USA, delivered a sobering assessment during the three-day gathering, “Refugees & Migrants in Our Common Home,” hosted by Villanova University in collaboration with Catholic academic partners. He pointed to Catholic social teaching, the guidance of the late Pope Francis, and the vision of Pope Leo XIV as touchstones for how the Church can defend human dignity, foster hope, and promote integration amid an increasingly hostile climate for migrants worldwide.
Kerwin emphasized that Catholic universities and research institutions must step forward with education, advocacy, and service. “This conference is part of a process to engage universities in the care for migrants in different ways through teaching, research, or direct service. We’re here because we care about migrants as people with gifts and needs, deserving of fair treatment,” he said.
The Rome gathering seeks to draft an actionable research plan to shape public understanding and policy. Kerwin stressed that too often migrants are cast in a negative light, despite their resilience and contributions. “They are, in many cases, heroic people who strengthen the countries they go to,” he noted.
Drawing on his U.S. advocacy experience, Kerwin painted a grim picture of recent policies that have stripped away decades of migration programs. “It’s been a very grim time for the last eight or nine months. A lot of the programs the world has relied upon for years were just wiped out in one fell swoop,” he said.
He described fear gripping immigrant communities as mass deportations target individuals long settled in the country. “Many believed the policy would only target criminals, and have been shocked to find their families treated as criminals. It’s an unconscionable policy one that breaks up families, hurts communities, and undermines the economy it claims to protect.”
Kerwin recalled a recent march in Washington, where Cardinal Robert McElroy’s moral critique of deportations drew a prolonged ovation. “Public opinion is beginning to turn against this,” he observed.
Kerwin underscored the Catholic Church’s long-standing commitment to serving migrants, through legal networks, parish initiatives, and resettlement programs. “For 16 years, I worked at a legal network with over 440 offices across the U.S. supporting undocumented people and lawful residents. But the refugee resettlement program once a beacon that saved more than 3 million lives since 1980 has been decimated. It needs to come back stronger.”
Despite setbacks, he urged Catholics to rediscover their mission. “Many Catholics aren’t with us, and they need to be. Migrants bring immense gifts. They’re not draining societies they enrich them in every way.”
Hope emerged as a central theme of the Rome conference, especially as the Church prepares for the upcoming Jubilee for Migrants. Kerwin insisted that migration itself is an act of hope. “If somebody migrates for their child’s future, or to live with dignity, they’re doing exactly what God wants them to do,” he said.
He also cited Catholic teaching on the “right to stay,” the “right to migrate,” and the “right to return home,” insisting that states must create conditions that uphold human dignity rather than restrict choices. “It shouldn’t be governments deciding what’s best for migrants. Their role is to facilitate, not dictate.”
The Rome conference aims to lay the groundwork for a sustained academic and ecclesial movement bringing together educators, researchers, and advocates to challenge fear-driven narratives and to restore compassion in migration policy.
“It’s brought together so many people who accompany, serve, and teach,” Kerwin said. “We see this not just as a conference, but as the beginning of something new a continuum of hope, rooted in faith, and responsive to the signs of our times.”
At a moment when many nations turn inward, the message from Rome was clear: Catholic teaching insists that migration is not merely a political issue but a moral one one that touches the very soul of the Church and the common good of humanity.