Building on a long-standing relationship, Franciscans International hosted a delegation representing the Franciscan Network for Migrants (RFM) for a joint advocacy mission to the United Nations International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) in New York. The visit also provided an opportunity for FI and other Franciscans working with migrants across the Americas to strengthen relationships, exchange regional analyses, and identify shared advocacy priorities.
Held every four years, the IMRF reviews the implementation of the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) that sets out a comprehensive framework to improve migration governance. While the Progress Declaration adopted during the forum reaffirmed the commitment of States to the GCM, it also recognized persistent gaps between those commitments and the realities faced by migrants on the ground – an issue that was consistently raised by civil society and faith-based organizations throughout the IMRF.
Ahead of the forum, Franciscan delegates participated in the Civil Society Action Committee Day and the IMRF multistakeholder hearing, spaces respectively designed to strengthen collaboration between civil society actors and engage directly with UN Member States. In this context, Cecilia Herrera OFS, an RFM member based in Texas who has accompanied migrants for decades, shared concerns about the increasingly restrictive situation at the United States–Mexico border, where fear of detention and deportation is driving many migrants to self-deport. FI also co-organized a high-level side event on “Upholding Human Rights Treaties and Law, Central to the GCM and the Multilateral System.” Bringing together States, UN experts, academics, and civil society representatives, the event underscored the importance of international human rights law as a cornerstone of migration governance.
During the IRMF, which took place between 5 and 8 May, FI also co-organized “Walking with the Messengers of Hope,” a second side-event that featured Bishop Mark Seitz, a leading advocate for migrants’ rights in the United States, alongside representatives of Franciscan and faith-based organizations working directly with migrant communities. Participants shared examples of humanitarian assistance and accompaniment, including the work of the RFM-Panama team, which operates a migrant shelter in the city of David. Building on these experiences, Michelle Dunne OFS, Executive Director of the Franciscan Action Network (FAN), highlighted strategies for faith-based organizations to engage legislators and transform grassroots realities into concrete policy changes.
FI also joined Catholic organizations and pastoral leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean in a joint statement affirming that human dignity is non-negotiable. The statement stressed that policies focused on control, containment, securitization, and externalization have not stopped migration, but instead made migration more dangerous. It also urged States to address the root causes of migration, including inequality and climate change, while guaranteeing the rights and dignity of all migrants.
FI will continue working alongside the RFM and other partners to strengthen advocacy for migrants’ rights, building on the collaboration during the IMRF to ensure that migration governance remains grounded in human rights and dignity.