The NGOs of the Vincentian Family have written extensively on these pages about the Alliance to End Homelessness, its beginnings as a Vincentian initiative, and its success in achieving two very significant resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly.
Our NGOs are also active in other committees, such as Financing for Development, Anti-Human Trafficking, Social Development, Mining, Women and Girls, to name just a few. They also participate in groups focused on Gaza and Haiti.
Another group is the NGO Committee on Migration. Now, to address the topic of migration in two pages runs the risk of being superficial. Migration is often perceived as an almost unsolvable issue, with different national interests based on economic, cultural, and historical factors. In the United States, for example, immigration laws are second in complexity only to tax laws. Touching on a few key points may at least encourage reflection and discussion.
Migrants can’t win! Certainly not in the U.S. today, but neither in many places globally. Migrants are blamed for everything: they are said to bring crime and disease, take jobs from others, overburden health and education systems, and destroy existing cultures.
They are said to “invade” countries. Using this term contributes to racist attitudes and makes rational discussion about migration extremely difficult. Migration is not a simple issue, but a highly complex one that demands an open mind in the pursuit of truth.
There are some basic principles that most agree upon. A country needs secure borders. The movement of people—older than humanity itself—is a natural phenomenon and will never stop. Migrants of all categories—refugees, asylum seekers, those fleeing disasters—are human beings, and as such, they have human rights. Every person deserves humane treatment in every context.
Many international treaties attempt to address the complex issue of migration. The Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees speak of safe, regular, and legal migration processes, protection for people in transit and at borders, and respect for human rights. Unfortunately, these agreements are increasingly seen as non-binding, arbitrary, and merely suggestive.
Meanwhile, we can flip the narrative—written by others—by presenting some basic truths about the positive contributions of migrants to their destination countries. Migration undoubtedly involves initial costs and logistical challenges, but in the long run, it brings net benefits. Some of these truths may be controversial and clearly oppose the narrative of those who want to stop migration—driven by ignorance, fear, nationalism, or racism. Opinions and facts are not the same.
Some key facts:
Finally, Scripture repeatedly calls us to treat the foreigner with respect and hospitality: “for you were foreigners in Egypt.” Vincentians have the example of the work of St. Vincent, who helped thousands of displaced persons arriving in Paris to escape war, hunger, and disease.
Yes, this issue of migration is extremely complicated—but ultimately, it’s about people who need help for a time, people facing immense obstacles in their pursuit of a life lived in dignity.
One simple thing we can do in our conversations is to challenge the existing negative narrative, by highlighting the positive aspects of migration, especially the important contributions migrants make to the communities that welcome and integrate them.
Jim Claffey
UN NGO Representative of the Vincentian Priests and Brothers
