Article on Religious Visas quotes CMSM Executive Director

A recent visa rule change in the US has disrupted the path to permanent residency for non-resident religious workers, prompting a backlog that delays their green card process. This alteration, spurred by the immigration crisis, affects priests and religious workers, hindering their ability to serve long-term in the US. The shift, largely unnoticed, poses significant challenges for both international clergy and the US dioceses relying on them, potentially causing a significant shortage of foreign-born priests in the future. CMSM, in coordination with other groups such as the the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has advocated to mitigate the impact, but immediate solutions remain uncertain, leaving many in limbo and raising concerns about the broader consequences on the Church’s operations in the country.