Religious organizations across the United States are intensifying their efforts to address a sudden procedural change in the processing of green cards for religious workers. The Catholic Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and five of its priests have taken the matter to court, arguing that the change will disrupt their lives and religious freedoms, endangering the communities they serve. The federal agencies overseeing immigration - the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - are now facing a lawsuit that could have significant implications for the future of foreign-born clergy in the country.

The Catholic Diocese of Paterson, which covers 400,000 Catholics and 107 parishes, is at the forefront of the legal battle. The diocese and its priests are concerned about the expiration of their legal status in the United States as soon as next spring. They claim that the change in green card processing will have severe consequences not only for them but also for the hundreds of thousands of Catholics they serve.

Raymond Lahoud, the attorney representing the Paterson diocese, states that while it is the first diocese to file a lawsuit, there is growing concern among other religious groups facing similar challenges. Many organizations heavily rely on foreign-born clergy who have built strong ties within their U.S. parishes. The sudden disruption caused by the delays in green card processing is posing a threat to their ministries.

Bishop Mark Seitz, who chairs the committee on migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, describes the current situation as highly disruptive. In his border diocese of El Paso, Texas, he faces the possibility of losing priests whose permanent residency cases are unlikely to be approved before their visas expire. According to the law, they would be mandated to leave the United States for at least a year, presenting significant challenges in providing necessary religious services.

The shortage of religious workers in the United States has long been addressed through agreements between American dioceses and foreign dioceses. These agreements allow the recruitment of seminarians, priests, and nuns from various countries to meet the increasing demands of congregations. However, the recent procedural change has led to a backlog in green card processing, with wait times exceeding 3.5 years and potentially stretching to 10-15 years.

The legal action taken by the Paterson diocese and its priests is indicative of the widespread recognition that the current situation is untenable. The American Immigration Lawyers Association, together with the religious workers group, the bishops' conference, and other organizations, has been lobbying for long-term Congressional fixes and simpler administrative changes that the agencies can implement promptly. Proposed administrative changes include allowing applicants to change ministry jobs without losing their place in the green card line and reducing the time required to spend outside the United States after a visa expires.

Many religious organizations, while hoping for the government to implement these temporary fixes, face limited alternatives. Applying for different employment visas or green cards can be a laborious and expensive process, and not all clergy members qualify under different categories. This predicament is particularly challenging for Catholic nuns, who often do not receive salaries and therefore cannot meet certain requirements.

The impact of the procedural change is already being felt across the country, with religious workers being forced to leave their communities due to visa expirations. Miguel Naranjo, the director of Religious Immigration Services for Catholic Legal Immigration Network, highlights that the work of these religious workers extends beyond ministry, encompassing education, healthcare, youth services, and other critical social services.

Through the lawsuit filed against the federal agencies overseeing immigration, religious organizations are making a significant stand to protect the rights and opportunities of foreign-born clergy in the United States. The outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching implications for the future of religious workers and the communities they serve, as well as the larger debate surrounding immigration reform.