The Commitment of the Vatican's Migrants & Refugees Section to Labor Migrants

Labor migration composes the largest share of contemporary human mobility. Most of the 272 million international migrants¹ today can be classified as labor migrants. To assess and respond to the challenges posed by labor migration, as well as of other forms of human mobility, in 2017 Pope Francis established a special office within the Roman Curia called the Migrants and Refugees (M&R) Section.

In this contribution I introduce the mission and vision, objectives and areas of intervention of the M&R Section. I also explain how the M&R Section, on behalf of the Holy See, is promoting a Catholic Church-wide response to the needs and challenges faced by migrants at large, with a particular focus on labor migrants. Finally, based on the long-standing experience of the Catholic Church, I present some feasible recommendations aiming to improve the global governance of international labor migration.

The Migrants & Refugees Section

On 17 August 2016, with the Apostolic Letter Humanam progressionem issued in the form of a Motu Proprio, the Holy Father instituted the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The new Dicastery is intended to "be competent particularly in issues regarding migrants, those in need, the sick, the excluded and marginalized, the imprisoned and the unemployed, as well as victims of armed conflict, natural disasters, and all forms of slavery and torture."² Within this Dicastery, a Section deals specifically with refugees and migrants. This section is temporarily placed (ad tempus) under the direction of the Supreme Pontiff (the Pope).³

Under the guidance and supervision of the Holy Father, the M&R Section gives practical expression to the Church's fundamental mission: to accompany God's people in all their "joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties," especially of "those who are poor or in any way afflicted" (Gaudium et Spes, §1). The M&R Section's primary mission is to support the Church — locally, regionally, globally — as she accompanies people in the important choices they make on the move, especially those who are in one way or another "forced to flee." The Section supports the Church in accompanying four fundamental phases of human migration: departure; transit; arrival of newcomers; and, eventually, return.

The vastness, complexity and urgency of the issues concerning global migrants and refugees, and the deep meaning of the call to the Church of Jesus Christ to accompany migrants and refugees: these are the basis and starting-point of the Holy Father's guidance and oversight, and the real first premise of the M&R Section.

The M&R Section is called to offer convincing witness and effective action on behalf of migrants and refugees. The frequent and multiple phenomena of migration in today's world require dedicated, urgent attention. The Section takes to heart the challenges of all who are compelled to migrate: asylum seekers, refugees, internally displaced people, as well as other international and internal migrants. Migrants can experience hardships and suffering in the countries of origin or destination or in transit; while fleeing conflict, persecution and humanitarian emergencies (both natural and human-made); when victimized by human trafficking; and as migrants with irregular status, exploited migrant workers and vulnerable migrant women, youth and children, especially unaccompanied minors.

The M&R Section envisions a world where migration will be a matter of choice, with all people assured the possibility of enjoying a dignified and fulfilling life in their own country, in accordance with the Lord's plan for humankind. The point of departure is each human being created by God with inalienable dignity and the world as God obviously wills it.

People should be free to stay, free to move, free to settle, free to return. People should have the security to stay at home (in one's own dwelling, town, region, country); the freedom to move, to travel, to migrate, to return; and thus, the right not to be coerced to stay or to leave. Also envisioned are societies which respect and integrate differences, uphold every person's rights and dignity, and are enriched by diversity. The M&R Section contributes to a Church as mother and home for all, fulfilling her catholicity to accomplish Christ's wish for his disciples, "that they all may be one" (Jn 17:21).

Objectives and Areas of Intervention

The M&R Section responds primarily to the will of the Holy Father to serve the Local Churches, and particularly Bishops' Conferences, with greatest respect for the principle of subsidiarity. This will include the provision of reliable information, scientific assessments and theological reflections in the light of the Church's social teaching; and the formulation of pastoral directives and strategies of assistance. Thus, the Section will support Local Churches and Bishops' Conferences to develop their own prompt and effective responses to the various challenges posed by contemporary migration.

The mission of the M&R Section is fulfilled in a series of activities in four main areas which correspond to the progression from observation to action:

1. Data and evidence. The M&R Section observes migration phenomena worldwide, focusing on those forced to flee, and collects the best possible information. Local Churches, academic institutions, research centers and migrants are to be directly involved in this phase.

2. Understanding and interpretation. The M&R Section formulates scientific assessments and theological reflections with the assistance of experts in these fields. It is crucial to have the contribution of Local Churches for proper contextualization of such assessments and reflections. The Section organizes congresses, seminars and meetings of experts on specific topics.

3. Strategies and priorities. The M&R Section develops pastoral directions for the Universal Church and Local Churches with the assistance of experts on the ground, taking into account the social teaching of the Church and the direct guidance of the Holy Father. The Section also develops tools and materials that help to sensitize the local Churches and societies and support the implementation of effective pastoral programs.

4. Practical action. The M&R Section promotes and stimulates prompt, effective and coordinated pastoral responses to be carried out by Local Churches, in dialogue and collaboration with trusted organizations and institutions. The M&R Section also assists Local Churches in (a) training their pastoral coordinators and agents, (b) elaborating pastoral action plans, (c) undertaking pastoral actions and spiritual development, and (d) building trustworthy and effective networks among partners.

In accomplishing its mission, the M&R Section's relevant partners will be the Bishops' Conferences; Diplomatic Missions of the Holy See; Episcopal Commissions or Offices dedicated to migrants, refugees and human trafficking; individual dioceses; religious congregations; other religious organizations; international and national organizations; national and local governments; and media.

The M&R Section commits to regular collaboration with Catholic organizations such as Caritas Internationalis, the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Pax Christi International, the Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN), Talitha Kum (UISG/USG), the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (WUCWO) and other Catholic organizations.

Commitment to Labor Migrants

Migration is a complex phenomenon. As Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, said:

The Holy See tries to help understand and deal with this complex phenomenon. It has done so with sincere concern for the people involved and with respect to States who are primarily responsible for welcoming them, in a spirit of openness, responsibility and collaboration. Only on the basis of a mutual understanding may one propose a lasting response to today's human mobility, sustainable for migrants and refugees, as for all the countries concerned.⁴

The Catholic Church has repeatedly expressed the will to work together with the international community to promote and adopt measures to protect the dignity, rights and freedoms of all persons on the move, including labor migrants.

The United Nations process to produce the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)⁵ represented a unique opportunity to respond together through international cooperation and shared responsibility. This is why the Holy See decided to contribute actively to the process. To support this contribution, the M&R Section, consulting with various Bishops' Conferences and Catholic NGOs working in the field, prepared a document titled, Twenty Action Points for the Global Compacts.⁶ The points are grouped under four headings: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate, and they have been approved by the Holy Father. They are grounded in the Church's best practices responding to the needs of migrants and refugees at the grassroots level.

The Twenty Action Points, through its statements and recommendations, expresses the commitment of the M&R Section, as well as the commitment of the whole Catholic Church, to labor migrants.

Under the first heading, namely to welcome, the M&R Section states that "migration should be safe, legal and orderly, and the decision to migrate voluntary."⁷ This is why States and all actors involved are encouraged "to expand the number and range of alternative legal pathways for safe and voluntary migration."⁸ Addressing particularly labor migrants in irregular situation, the M&R Section encourages "States to adopt a national security perspective that fully takes into account the security and human rights of all migrants."⁹ This should translate into the adoption of national policies which "respond first to the needs and vulnerabilities of those seeking admission, including access to basic services, before addressing an applicant's legal status"¹⁰ and "prefer alternatives to the detention of those seeking access to the territory."¹¹

The second verb, to protect, refers to the actions needed to protect migrants from the violence, abuse and exploitation that they often fall victim to because of their extreme vulnerability. The duty to protect migrants is grounded in the centrality of the human person, which is a core principle of the social teaching of the Catholic Church. "Promoting and respecting the human rights of migrants and their dignity ensures that everyone's rights and dignity in society are fully respected."¹² Particularly addressing States with significant labor migrant outflows, the M&R Section encourages them "to adopt policies and practices which provide protections for citizens choosing to emigrate."¹³ To such end, the creation of national pre-departure information systems and training, the issuance of national regulation and certification of employment recruiters and the establishment of a department dedicated to diaspora affairs, tasked to implement policies that protect the interests of and assist diaspora and migrant communities abroad, might prove instrumental. As for the States with significant labor migrant inflows, the M&R Section encourage them "to adopt national policies which protect against exploitation, forced labor, or trafficking."¹⁴ Such protection should start with forbidding employers from withholding personal IDs from their employees; granting all labor migrants access to justice, regardless of their migratory status; allowing migrants to open personal bank accounts; and adopting national minimum monthly wage laws. It is also important to provide labor migrants with access to adequate social protections, ensuring their right to health regardless of their migratory status, and granting them "access to national pension schemes and the portability of social security coverage and benefits between and among countries."¹⁵

Under the title to promote the M&R Section suggests a series of actions that have, as their main goal, the integral human development of migrants, as well as that of the communities that welcome them. "Hosting states [...] should assure structures which allow those staying long-term to develop as human beings and to contribute to the development of the host country."¹⁶ In particular, the M&R Section encourages "States to enact legislation that enables the recognition, transfer and further development of the formal skills of all migrants."¹⁷ This can be done by providing access to tertiary education, apprenticeship and internship programs for qualified migrants and recognizing the academic and vocational education, including higher education, of all labor migrants. The M&R Section also invites "States to adopt laws, policies and practices which facilitate the local integration of migrants."¹⁸ This should translate into providing "access to classes and training in the local language and customs as well as the printing of public notices and information in those languages most common among migrant[s]."¹⁹ The Catholic Church always has insisted on the importance of the integrity and well-being of migrant families, regardless of their migratory status. The M&R Section encourages States to adopt laws that allow the reunification of labor migrants with their families and "expand the scope of family reunification policies to include all family members (including grandparents, siblings and grandchildren)."²⁰ As for the most vulnerable groups, the M&R Section highlights the need to prevent any abuse of minor workers, ensuring their safety, health, well-being and educational opportunities. Moreover, States are encouraged to provide migrants with disabilities with the same opportunities as other citizens with disabilities. Finally, the M&R Section encourages "States to adopt policies and practices that guarantee the freedom of religion, in both belief and practice, to all migrants and refugees regardless of their migratory status."²¹

The last verb, to integrate, refers to a reciprocal process involving both migrants and local communities in an enriching cultural exchange. Integration entails a reciprocal movement directly committing both the locals and the newly arrived. "Both sides are mutually enriched by their interaction, and the community as a whole is enhanced by a greater participation of all its members, both resident and migrants."²² The M&R Section encourages States to "enact legislation which facilitates local integration,"²³ by facilitating the acquisition of citizenship at birth and unlinking the granting of citizenship from economic status or ownership of property. States are also invited to "adopt laws which allow for the regularization of status for long term residents of the host country."²⁴ In order to ensure a conducive environment for integration, the M&R Section recommends actively promoting a positive narrative about migrants. This can be done by generating spaces to showcase positive aspects of the culture of the members of the foreign community, promoting positive examples of integration and issuing public announcements "in the language spoken by larger groups of migrants."²⁵ In the case of returnees, integration would change into reintegration, a process which will need special support. To such end, the M&R Section encourages States to "recognize and allow for the transfer of educational or other credentials earned abroad by returning citizens and permit rapid access to labor markets for those with professional or vocational credentials (e.g. trained teachers, electricians, medical personnel and heavy equipment operators)."²⁶

According to Pope Francis' vision, the four verbs stand for a permanent and direct commitment by the Church. Together with its partners, the M&R Section is committed to ensuring that, "as a sign of shared global responsibility, concrete engagement follows from the words that will be codified in the aforementioned two agreements [GCM and Global Compact on Refugees]."²⁷ The GCM can only provide a suitable framework for a better understanding of the complex phenomenon of migration in its multiple facets and for formulating effective responses to its different challenges. The real action will be up to the individual States in necessary collaboration with other stakeholders. As Pope Francis said in February 2017, to welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants requires "the efforts of all actors, among which, you may be assured will always be the Church."²⁸

Following a specific mandate from Pope Francis, the M&R Section also committed to fight against the trafficking and enslavement of human beings, which is one of the darkest aspects of contemporary migration. "Each year thousands of innocent men, women and children are victims of exploitative labor and sexual abuse, and of organ trafficking, and it seems that we have become so accustomed to this, as to consider it a normal thing."²⁹ At the beginning of 2019, the M&R Section issued a document titled, Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking (POHT),³⁰ approved by the Holy Father and meant to orient the work of the M&R Section and its partners. The POHT are for use by Catholic dioceses, parishes and religious congregations, schools and universities, by Catholic and other civil society organizations and by any groups willing to respond. Besides their implementation in local programs as well as collaboration at a distance, the Pastoral Orientations also offer key points for homilies, education and media.

Conclusion

The M&R Section is committed to urging the Bishops' Conferences all over the world to explain the 20 Action Points to their parishes and Church organizations, with the hope of fostering more effective solidarity with migrants. Moreover, the Section encourages all Bishops' Conferences to engage in a constructive dialogue with their governments, aiming to foster the difficult translation of the GCM into policies and programs.

Many religious congregations and Catholic organizations have joined the Bishops' Conferences in the dissemination and promotion of the 20 Action Points at the national and local levels. Their valuable engagement would be instrumental also for the development and launching of new programs, in cooperation with all the other stakeholders, within the framework of the GCM.

An international conference was held in Sacrofano, near Rome, from 9 to 11 April 2019 with the aim of studying and assimilating the POHT and putting them into practice. The conference brought together 200 international participants, including Bishops, priests, men and women religious, project coordinators and pastoral agents, representatives of Catholic organizations and foundations, and trafficking experts and survivors from various parts of the world. The different sessions highlighted a total of 695 proposals, 42 of which were identified as priority, with a sense of urgency and in a spirit of cooperation.³¹

I would like to conclude by quoting the homily that Pope Francis delivered on the fifth anniversary of his visit to Lampedusa:

Before the challenges of contemporary movements of migration, the only reasonable response is one of solidarity and mercy. A response less concerned with calculations, than with the need for an equitable distribution of responsibilities, an honest and sincere assessment of the alternatives and a prudent management. A just policy is one at the service of the person, of every person involved; a policy that provides for solutions that can ensure security, respect for the rights and dignity of all; a policy concerned for the good of one's own country, while taking into account that of others in an ever more interconnected world.³²