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Support Religious Workers

Support Religious Workers. Strengthen Our Ministries. 

Across the U.S., faith-based organizations rely on the service of religious workers—priests, sisters, lay leaders, and others—many of whom are immigrants. They nourish communities by serving in parishes, schools, shelters, and outreach programs. But outdated immigration policies and long backlogs now jeopardize their ability to serve.

Workers on R-1 nonimmigrant visas are allowed to live and work in the U.S. legally for up to five years. Yet when they apply for permanent residency in the EB-4 special immigrant category, they face extensive delays. Often, once their R-1 status ends, they must leave the country—and they’re barred from returning for at least one year, interrupting essential ministries.

The Religious Workforce Protection Act (S. 1298/H.R. 2672) offers a commonsense, bipartisan fix: allowing R-1 visa holders who are adjusting status to remain in the U.S.—and continue their ministries—until their green cards are available. This small adjustment would profoundly impact thousands of workers and the communities they serve.

What Has Changed (April–September 2025)

  • The bill S. 1298 was introduced in the Senate on April 3, 2025 and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee; H.R. 2672 was introduced in the House on April 7, 2025, and also sent to its Judiciary Committee.

  • It has garnered bipartisan support, with a growing number of cosponsors in both chambers.

  • Partner advocacy groups like CLINIC are actively promoting the bill, emphasizing the urgent need to preserve uninterrupted religious ministry.

What’s at Stake

Group/Area Impact
Religious Workers Must leave the U.S. once their R-1 period ends—even if their green card is pending—disrupting ministries and pastoral care.
Parishes, Schools, Shelters Lose critical staff—priests, chaplains, instructors—affirming pastoral, educational, and social support are jeopardized.
Faith-Based Communities Nationwide Suffer from ministry gaps, especially in underserved areas relying heavily on immigrant religious workers.
Ministry Continuity & Religious Freedom Undermined by policy that doesn’t reflect modern immigration backlogs—threatening American communities’ ability to practice and receive pastoral care.

Take Action

Protect the continuity of spiritual, educational, and humanitarian services by urging your Members of Congress to:

  • Co-sponsor and pass the Religious Workforce Protection Act (S. 1298 / H.R. 2672).

  • Ensure religious workers on R-1 visas may remain legally during the green card process—without interruption.

  • Support this bipartisan, targeted legislation that strengthens religious institutions and communities across America.