JRS/USA 2026 Advocacy Day | April 21

JRS/USA’s Advocacy Day for 2026 will bring together supporters, students, parish communities, and partners across the Jesuit network to advocate for policies that protect refugees, asylum seekers, potential deportees, and Catholic institutions.

Participants will receive training from policy experts, hear stories from the field, and meet with congressional offices in support of JRS/USA policy priorities and in solidarity with displaced persons, refugees, and vulnerable immigrants in the United States.

Built on the Ignatian ethic of service, accompaniment, and advocacy, the Day offers a powerful opportunity to turn faith into action.

Register by March 5

Why Your Voice Matters

Global displacement has surpassed historic levels, and humanitarian funding gaps continue to widen. Advocacy Day equips participants to take meaningful action at a moment when:

• U.S. funding for refugee assistance overseas has plummeted and remains uncertain.
• U.S. immigration enforcement is increasingly arresting people with no criminal record, detaining them in deplorable conditions, and deporting many to third countries where they have no ties.
• Catholic priests and other faith leaders are facing expirations of their religious worker visas and are being denied access to detention facilities where they provide pastoral care.

What to Expect

Participants will:

• Take part in a morning advocacy training led by JRS policy experts.
• Learn how U.S. policy impacts forcibly displaced people, refugees, and immigrants.
• Hear testimonies from JRS staff and partners serving on the front lines.
• Meet directly with congressional offices to share your commitment to refugee protection.
• Join a community of advocates united by faith, justice, and hope.

Hybrid Participation:
If you’re joining virtually, you’ll receive online training and coordinated virtual Hill meetings.

2026 Policy Priorities

This year’s meetings will focus on four core areas central to the protection and dignified treatment of refugees and immigrants:

1. Opposition to the excesses of the U.S. mass deportation program
2. Robust funding for life-saving U.S. refugee assistance programs abroad
3. Access for faith leaders to detention centers
4. Approval of visas and legal status for religious workers in the United States

Who Should Participate

Advocacy Day is open to:

• Students and educators
• Refugees, people seeking protection, and citizens
• Parish and faith communities
• Jesuit institutions and ministries
• Individuals passionate about justice
• First-time and returning advocates

Whether this is your first advocacy experience or your fifteenth, all are welcome.

Register today to reserve your spot for Advocacy Day 2026.
Your presence ensures that the stories of displaced people are heard where it matters most.