Catholic vigils unite across U.S. to demand immigrant rights and policy reform

A coalition of Catholic organisations held prayer vigils across the U.S. on 13 November. The events coincided with the feast of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint. Participants gathered to show support for immigrants and call for policy changes. In Washington, a vigil took place outside ICE headquarters. People read Scripture passages, recited a litany, and shared excerpts from homilies by St. Oscar Romero and Pope Leo. They also took the USCCB’s Cabrini Pledge and listened to a pastoral message from the bishops.

The bishops warned against the rollback of protections for sensitive locations and the use of mass deportations. In Philadelphia, the crowd later walked in a silent Eucharistic procession around the local ICE facility. Chants of ‘Stop the raids of immigrants! Stop the repression! Release all those held captive and reunite families that have been separated!’ filled the air.

The initiative, named ‘One Church, One Family: Catholic Public Witness for Immigrants’, was organised by Jesuits West province. Many attendees expressed concern over the Trump administration’s strict immigration measures. The vigils brought together Catholic communities to advocate for immigrant rights. The bishops’ message and public witness highlighted fears over policy shifts and their impact on families. The events marked a coordinated effort to urge reform and compassion in immigration enforcement.