On May 21, 2025 the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity and Fordham’s Campus Ministry invited New York-based Jesuit organizations to the Ignatian Room at Rose Hill for a preliminary meeting of the New York City Jesuit Migration Network. Campus Ministry hosted the event, and in attendance were representatives from the St. Francis Xavier parish, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Belmont Catholic Community, Fordham Prep, Regis High School, St. Peter’s University, Ciszek Hall and the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. The meeting began with a prayer, calling for support in getting a “sense of what we are doing now.”
At the outset of the meeting attendees described the need to “break down silos” in migration justice work in the city. Along these lines Dr. Carey Kasten, representing the Initiative, introduced the attendees to the five key goals of the Initiative at Fordham. First, the need for students to be leaders and activists. Second, the primacy of accompaniment. Third and fourth, to promote research and relationships respectively, and finally to become a model for other collaborative and deeply integrated efforts at uplifting migrants and humanitarians who accompany them.
In the spirit of the final point, JRS representative Clara Sayans described previous collaborations with Fordham’s Initiative. Rev. Philip Judge, SJ, executive director of Campus Ministry emphasized that the success of such collaboration comes from the fact that “we understand the language we all speak.” This set the tone for the meeting, which underscored the importance of collaboration.
The meeting proceeded with introductions and a basic outline of each organization’s efforts in the city. Attendees were able to get an idea of the challenges different groups face in light of both the staggering scale of the work and the new political context. Dr. Kasten described a path to success as “institutionalizing” the work of the Initiative and invited other groups to think along these lines. This led to a discussion about the current climate and with many migrants in hiding, support networks are challenged with building trust and outreach in new ways.
Participants from across the NYC Jesuit Migration Network
Representatives from JRS described how their work of “rapid stabilization” and psycho-social support has enabled them to maintain their networks and engage in accompaniment. The primary goal of JRS in this way is to be a “clearing house” for networks and enable people to connect to what JRS describes as “action teams.” This is, according to JRS, an effective institutional model.
Fordham Prep representative Carolyn Wright offered another salient perspective on the current climate. Fordham University’s sister school has been hosting trips to the Kino Border Initiative, but in NYC they have been seeking opportunities to further engage its students. The looming question now is “what can we do?” A lot of discussion at the meeting revolved around education and fostering a culture of accompaniment among students and humanitarians. Wright voiced a clear concern which this initial meeting sought to address: what are the next steps for those guided by faith and called to bring forth justice? Is simply educating and spreading sensibility to the issues enough?
Attendees agreed that of primary importance is discernment. Every organization must discern where and how it can best apply its resources. However, reconciling humanitarian communities is the second step. In order to continue to be successful, organizations in the city must engage in “trust building that transcends institutional margins,” as Clara Sayans from JRS described.
At the heart of this initial meeting—a diagnosis of the current condition of faith-led grassroots migration justice work—was the demand for sustainability in the face of looming crack downs and immigration operations.
The meeting concluded with high hopes for unity and communication, with commitments to keep channels open between Jesuit groups and work actively to “break down silos,” while holding firmly to a hope for the future.