By Araceli M. Cantero - Florida Catholic
MIAMI | As immigrants across South Florida face growing uncertainty, Catholic organizations and community volunteers are coming together to offer practical assistance, legal guidance and a message of hope.
- Stay connected to your Catholic community: subscribe to our newsletter
That was the focus of an Oct. 18 gathering at the Poveda Center in Miami, where representatives of the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) and Catholic Legal Services (CLS) met with volunteers and community members to discuss immigration challenges and ways to help those affected.
The meeting, titled “Walking with our immigrant brothers and sisters,” was organized by Patricia Stockton and members of the Teresian Association, who have volunteered for several years with CLS, interviewing asylum seekers at local Catholic parishes.
“This has been an opportunity to educate ourselves about the constant changes to the immigration system,” said Stockton.
“It is important to be aware and informed in order to better serve our people.”
Stockton said the gathering also sought to encourage a wider circle of friends and families to become involved in supporting immigrant communities.
Putting faith into action
“We are non-partisan. We want people to know their rights,” said Sandra Fish, director of services at FLIC.
Fish outlined several ways volunteers can assist immigrants, including serving as interpreters, accompanying people to medical appointments, providing spaces for informational presentations and participating in volunteer training.
With some immigrants afraid to leave their homes, FLIC also offers virtual legal consultations to help people access assistance remotely.
“Join us as a volunteer interpreter or immigration attorney,” FLIC states on its website, which provides information about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.
“Help bridge the language gap for individuals seeking legal support,” the invitation continues.
FLIC, a statewide alliance of more than 80 member organizations and over 100 allies, brings together groups advocating for immigrant communities across Florida. Its work includes promoting pathways to permanent residency and citizenship, as well as opportunities for community participation and advocacy.
Catholic Legal Services, a nonprofit agency of the Archdiocese of Miami, provides immigration legal assistance, including asylum applications, deportation defense, DACA renewals, work permits, family petitions and changes in immigration status.
Photographer: Courtesy
Randy McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services, speaks with Patricia Stockton, a member of the Teresian Association, during an Oct. 18 gathering at the Poveda Center in Miami focused on immigration challenges and ways volunteers can support immigrant families.
Responding to immigration challenges
Randy McGrorty, executive director of Catholic Legal Services, urged participants to focus on what they can do to help immigrants rather than dwelling on reports of abuses that could generate additional fear.
“They want their abuses publicized,” he said.
McGrorty criticized the current administration's immigration policies, arguing that restrictions on visas and other legal pathways are further weakening an already troubled immigration system.
He also expressed concern about due process protections and what he described as an increasingly unwelcoming message toward immigrants.
“In fact, they want people to think that ‘we,’ the USA, do not want immigrants,” he said.
The concerns come amid an expansion of immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration. According to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, federal authorities carried out approximately 980,000 deportations and returns between January 2025 and July 2026, including about 580,000 formal removals.
Immigration detention has also increased sharply, with the daily detained population rising 71%, from 39,314 in January 2025 to 67,180 in July 2026, according to federal data reviewed by the Government Accountability Office.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement in the country's interior, has intensified arrests and detention operations under the Trump administration.
The administration has also rescinded previous restrictions on immigration enforcement actions near locations such as churches, schools and hospitals, raising concerns among immigrant communities and religious organizations about access to worship, education and essential services.
The administration has also moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of 13 countries, affecting more than 1 million beneficiaries, including hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Venezuelans. TPS allows eligible immigrants from countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions to live and work temporarily in the United States. Several termination decisions have faced legal challenges.
Other measures include ending a humanitarian parole program through which approximately 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans entered the country, and revoking more than 175,000 visas, including thousands held by international students. The administration has defended its immigration measures as necessary to enforce federal law, strengthen national security and address abuses of immigration programs.
During the gathering, FLIC representatives distributed printed materials explaining immigrants' rights, including guidance on responding to questions about immigration status during hospital visits or encounters with authorities.
A message of hope
Despite the challenges facing immigrant communities, speakers emphasized the importance of solidarity and the commitment of those willing to help.
Roberto Benavides Wong, legal services coordinator with FLIC, expressed appreciation for the volunteers attending the meeting.
“It is good to see here people that put their faith in action,” he said.
For Matilde Angulo, supervising attorney at Catholic Legal Services, the commitment of volunteers offers encouragement amid the painful stories she encounters through her work.
“What gives me hope is people like you committed to this work,” she said.
Andoni Biurrarena, Florida Catholic Editor, contributed to the story.
UPCOMING EVENT: Witness to Hope
The Archdiocese of Miami will join seven other dioceses Dec. 11 for a full-day gathering titled Witness to Hope: Responding to Mass Deportations, focusing on the challenges facing immigrant communities.
Topics will include the Catholic Church's position on immigration and enforcement, legal guidance, the status of sensitive locations such as parishes, schools and hospitals, strategies for accompanying immigrants, public witness and effective communication.
- Date: Dec. 11, 2026
- Time: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Location: St. Thomas University
- Cost: $25, including lunch and a light breakfast. Scholarships are available.
Sponsors: Archdiocese of Miami, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Legal Services, Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI), Teresian Association, Catholic IMMpact (a project of the Center for Migration Studies of New York) and Hope Border Institute.
Registration: https://miami-regional-convening.eventbee.com/
Information: Randy McGrorty, Catholic Legal Services, [email protected]
