The Catholic Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, along with five of its priests, has filed a lawsuit against several U.S. federal agencies, including the Department of State and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The lawsuit challenges a recent procedural change that has severely delayed the processing of green cards for religious workers, threatening the ability of many foreign-born clergy to continue their ministry in the United States.
The issue stems from a March 2023 decision by the State Department, which integrated minors seeking humanitarian green cards into the same processing line as religious workers. This has created a significant backlog, extending wait times for green cards to several years, with some estimates suggesting delays of 10-15 years. The impact is particularly severe for religious workers on temporary R-1 visas, who are now at risk of being forced to leave the country when their visas expire.
Bishop Kevin Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese emphasized that the change could disrupt the lives of priests and the religious freedoms of hundreds of thousands of Catholics they serve. The lawsuit, the first of its kind, is seen as representative of broader frustrations within religious communities that rely heavily on foreign-born clergy.
Religious leaders and immigration attorneys argue that the situation is unsustainable and are advocating for both legislative and administrative solutions. They propose allowing religious workers to change ministry jobs without losing their place in the green card line and reducing the mandatory time spent outside the U.S. after visa expiration.
As the lawsuit proceeds, religious organizations are hoping for temporary fixes from the Biden administration, given the critical role these clergy members play in providing ministry, education, healthcare, and social services in communities across the United States. Without relief, many religious workers may be forced to leave the U.S., disrupting essential services and ministries.
