History

Established in 1971 by the Most Reverend Francis J. Mugavero, the Catholic Migration Office was born in response to the 1969 Papal Instruction Pastoralis Migratorum Cura, written by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on the Pastoral Care of People who Migrate. It was the first office of its kind in the United States and served the needs of immigrants and refugees in Brooklyn and Queens. Initially operating from a small storefront, it has grown into a robust and respected legal service provider, with offices in Downtown Brooklyn and Sunnyside, Queens.

In 1972, the first Apostolates were established in the Diocese of Brooklyn to meet the unique needs of various communities, such as Italian, Haitian, Polish, Korean, Croatian, and Hispanic. Today, Catholic Migration holds the annual Shining Star Celebration, an event to honor the important contributions of the diverse ethnic ministries in Brooklyn and Queens.

In response to the 1986 Immigration Act, Catholic Migration played a major role in developing the Diocesan Legalization Program, through which over 20,000 immigrants from 68 countries applied for legal temporary protection. This program was recognized as one of the largest in the country.

For over 50 years, with the passage of every new law and type of immigration relief, including TPS and DACA, Catholic Migration Services has provided community education and expert legal services to those who qualify, free of charge.

Throughout the years, Catholic Migration Services has expanded to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable New Yorkers. In 2004, the Immigrant Tenant Advocacy Program (Housing Unit) was established to address housing abuses and offered free legal representation for immigrant tenants. In 2009, the Immigrant Workers Rights Program (Employment Unit) was launched to address workplace concerns for immigrant workers. In 2023, in response to a surge in migration from the Southern Border to New York City, Catholic Migration Services joined with several other community organizations to create the Pro Se Plus Project (PSPP) to address some of the legal needs of newly-arrived unrepresented immigrants, including assistance with applications for asylum, employment authorization, and immigration court motions.

Our organization has transitioned from the immigration services arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn to the independent not-for-profit corporation named Catholic Migration Services that exists today. The services and compassion we provide to vulnerable New Yorkers are just as critical now as they were in 1971.