With 216 votes in favor, just five votes against, and three abstentions, the bishops approved the statement amid sustained applause and standing ovation from the assembled body. The last time the bishops invoked this particularly urgent form of communication was in 2013 when they responded to the federal government’s contraceptive mandate.

The bishops framed their statement as a direct pastoral response to the anguish among their congregations, describing conditions in detention centers, separated families, and the vilification of immigrants in contemporary discourse, and the vulnerable populations they serve.

The pastoral message is below:

As pastors, we the bishops of the United States are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status. We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools. We are grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones.

Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.

Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.

We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.
The Church’s teaching rests on the foundational concern for the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). As pastors, we look to Sacred Scripture and the example of the Lord Himself, where we find the wisdom of God’s compassion. The priority of the Lord, as the Prophets remind us, is for those who are most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger (Zechariah 7:10). In the Lord Jesus, we see the One who became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9), we see the Good Samaritan who lifts us from the dust (Luke 10:30–37), and we see the One who is found in the least of these (Matthew 25). The Church’s concern for neighbor and our concern here for immigrants is a response to the Lord’s command to love as He has loved us (John 13:34).

To our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering, since, when one member suffers, all suffer (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:26). You are not alone!

We note with gratitude that so many of our clergy, consecrated religious, and lay faithful already accompany and assist immigrants in meeting their basic human needs. We urge all people of good will to continue and expand such efforts.

We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials. In this dialogue, we will continue to advocate for meaningful immigration reform.
As disciples of the Lord, we remain men and women of hope,
and hope does not disappoint! (cf. Romans 5:5)

May the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe enfold us all in her maternal and loving care and draw us ever closer to the heart of Christ.

The post U.S. Catholic Bishops Issue United Statement on Immigration first appeared on SJO Daily.

Inflation has outpaced wage growth for middle- and lower-income households since January 2025, with inflation climbing 3.0% year-over-year in September while after-tax wages for middle-income households increased only 2% and lower-income households saw just 1% growth.

The financial squeeze is most acute among lower-income Americans, with 29% living paycheck to paycheck—up from 28.6% in 2024 and 27.1% in 2023. In contrast, middle- and higher-income households have experienced little to no increase in their paycheck-to-paycheck rates.

Bank of America researchers define “living paycheck to paycheck” as households spending more than 95% of their income on necessities including housing, gasoline, groceries, utilities, internet, public transportation, and childcare.​

While more households overall are struggling financially, the pace of increase has dropped dramatically—growing nearly three times slower in 2025 than in 2024. The report attributes this to the fact that increases are now concentrated primarily among lower-income households, while higher- and middle-income groups remain stable.

Middle-aged Americans—particularly Millennials and Gen X—have experienced the largest increases in financial pressure. The data shows higher-income Millennials saw their wages grow five percentage points faster than lower-income Millennials, while higher-income Gen X households outpaced their lower-income peers by four percentage points.​

Higher-income Baby Boomers posted wage gains while their lower-income counterparts experienced declines. Meanwhile, Gen Z and Traditionalists have seen minimal increases in paycheck-to-paycheck living.

Regional patterns show the South and West census divisions have the highest concentrations of households living paycheck to paycheck, though these regions have actually seen some easing of financial pressure in 2025. The Northeast and Midwest divisions report the lowest shares of paycheck-to-paycheck households, but these regions experienced increases compared to the previous year.

Since early 2025, wages for lower-income earners have been declining relative to their higher-income counterparts, reversing gains made in 2021-22. Higher-income households may also benefit from “wealth effects” through greater ownership of appreciating assets like stocks and homes, providing an additional buffer against inflation.

The post Nearly a Quarter of US Households Living Paycheck to Paycheck as Inflation Outpaces Wage Growth first appeared on SJO Daily.

“No, you don’t, no you don’t,” Trump responded. “You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles.'”

Trump pointed to a September 4 ICE raid at the Hyundai-LG Energy Solution battery plant in Georgia, where federal agents detained approximately 475 workers, including more than 300 South Korean nationals. The operation targeted workers suspected of visa violations at the still-under-construction electric vehicle battery facility near Savannah.​

“In Georgia, they raided because they wanted illegal immigrants out—they had people from South Korea that made batteries all their life,” Trump said during the interview. “You know, making batteries is very complicated. It’s not an easy thing. Very dangerous, a lot of explosions, a lot of problems. They had like 500 or 600 people, early stages, to make batteries and to teach people how to do it. Well, they wanted them to get out of the country. You’re going to need that, Laura.”​

The president had previously criticized the Georgia raid, telling reporters traveling with him to South Korea that he was “very much opposed” to the enforcement action. The incident strained U.S.-South Korea diplomatic relations and raised concerns about foreign investment in American manufacturing.

On September 19, Trump signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 application fee for new H-1B visa petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025. The proclamation cited “systemic abuse” of the program and claimed it was fueling the “large-scale replacement of American workers.”​

The previous fee structure typically ranged from approximately $2,000 to $5,000 per application, depending on company size.

The executive order, which remains in effect through September 21, 2026, applies only to new H-1B petitions filed for beneficiaries outside the United States or those requesting consular processing. Current H-1B workers are exempt from the fee.

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations for an initial period of three years, which can be extended to six years. The program has an annual cap of 65,000 applicants, with an additional 20,000 slots reserved for those with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions. When applications exceed the cap, the government uses a lottery system to randomly select eligible applicants.

The technology industry accounts for approximately 60% to 70% of all new H-1B applications in recent years, with other top industries including consulting, engineering, healthcare, and higher education.

In 2025, the Trump Organization requested a record number of foreign workers—184 in total—to staff various company properties, including golf clubs and resorts. These requests were made through the H-2B visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for seasonal, non-agricultural jobs when there is a shortage of American workers.

The post Trump Defends H-1B Program, Says U.S. Lacks ‘Certain Talents’ in Ingraham Interview first appeared on SJO Daily.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings issued multiple orders Wednesday that could lead to the release of more than 600 individuals detained during Operation Midway Blitz.

The court ordered ICE to fully release 13 people by Friday, November 15, who the administration has conceded were unlawfully arrested in violation of the Castañon Nava consent decree. These individuals will be released without bond from detention facilities in Texas, Missouri, and other states.​

An additional 615 people detained by ICE agents between June 11 and October 7 must be placed into alternatives to detention programs—such as electronic monitoring—by November 21, with bond set at $1,500 while their immigration cases proceed. The judge also ordered ICE to stay deportation and voluntary departure proceedings for these individuals pending their release.

Judge Cummings further mandated that the Department of Homeland Security provide a complete list by November 19 of all arrests made by ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents in the Chicago area from June 11 through the present.

 Initial documentation suggests that as many as 1,100 people out of 1,852 arrested in the Chicago area prior to October 7 may have been deported or agreed to voluntary departure to avoid prolonged detention in facilities located throughout the country. This figure does not include anyone arrested after October 7 or those detained by Border Patrol agents acting on behalf of ICE.

Mark Fleming, associate director of litigation at the National Immigrant Justice Center, said his organization believes at least 1,100 of approximately 3,000 arrested individuals voluntarily left the country, effectively “giving up” on fighting their cases.

The 2022 Castañon Nava consent decree stemmed from a class-action lawsuit filed by the National Immigrant Justice Center and the ACLU of Illinois on behalf of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Organized Communities Against Deportations, and individual plaintiffs. The lawsuit challenged ICE’s conduct during immigration sweeps in May 2018, when agents conducted warrantless arrests and pretextual traffic stops to forcibly fingerprint and arrest dozens of Hispanic residents in southwest Chicago neighborhoods and northern Illinois suburbs.

The consent decree, originally set to expire in May 2025, prohibits ICE from making warrantless arrests in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Kentucky, and Missouri unless agents have probable cause to believe someone is in the United States unlawfully and poses a flight risk. In October, Judge Cummings extended the decree until February 2, 2026, after finding that ICE had violated it repeatedly and that DHS had improperly told field offices over the summer that the consent decree had been canceled when it had not.

Operation Midway Blitz began in September 2025 as a multi-agency immigration enforcement operation targeting what DHS described as “criminal illegal aliens” in Illinois. The operation deployed more than 200 Border Patrol agents to Chicago.​

The operation has included late-night raids using Black Hawk helicopters, the use of tear gas in residential neighborhoods despite court orders prohibiting such measures, and multiple incidents where U.S. citizens were detained.

In October, President Trump deployed approximately 300 National Guard troops to Chicago over the objections of Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson, though a federal judge later temporarily blocked the deployment as likely unconstitutional. Sources told CBS News that Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and many agents under his command could depart Chicago as early as this week.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin criticized the ruling, stating it puts Americans’ lives at risk. 

Government attorneys indicated at the hearing that compiling the necessary documentation would pose “a significant challenge” and did not rule out appealing the judge’s decision. They noted that at least 12 of the 615 individuals are classified as high flight risks. Judge Cummings stated he would maintain detention for high-risk individuals and that anyone released who violates program conditions would be returned to custody.

The post Federal Judge Orders Release of Hundreds Detained in Chicago ICE Operations first appeared on SJO Daily.

The follow-up letter is Escobar’s second formal complaint to federal authorities since the facility opened in August. She states that conditions at the $1.24 billion tent complex have not improved despite her initial September 26 correspondence.

Camp East Montana, which has a capacity of up to 5,000 detainees and operates as the country’s largest immigration detention center, continues to struggle with basic sanitation and health standards, according to detainee accounts collected by Escobar’s office.​

The congresswoman’s letter details complaints about foul-tasting drinking water, poor food quality so severe that some detainees are skipping meals due to lack of dietary accommodations, and sanitation issues, including dormitory pods housing up to 72 people that are cleaned only once every eight days. Detainees have reported washing their clothes in facility showers due to inconsistent laundry services.

The letter talks about inadequate medical care at the facility, including inconsistent access to necessary medications. Escobar’s office has learned of a detainee living with HIV who has not been receiving his medication. The congresswoman noted that only the most ill detainees are referred to the medical unit, and there are inconsistencies in how soon after arriving detainees undergo initial medical screenings.​​

The facility also experiences frequent flooding and sewage backups, which Escobar characterized as “unacceptable” hazards that can lead to illness and disease. The congresswoman also expressed concern that neither ICE nor facility staff maintains an accurate population count due to the rapid turnover rate.

Camp East Montana was constructed on the edge of Fort Bliss, an Army base located in the Chihuahuan Desert, where summer temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees. The facility consists of large white tents—each as long as two football fields—divided into smaller pods where detainees eat, sleep, shower, and use the bathroom.​

The congresswoman has criticized ICE for stonewalling congressional oversight, noting that her office has 21 unanswered case inquiries. She also says that a planned September visit by her staff was abruptly cancelled less than 24 hours in advance.

The Department of Homeland Security has denied allegations about conditions at the facility. In a September statement, DHS said claims of “inhumane” conditions are “categorically false” and maintained that “all detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members.”

However, Escobar’s November letter demanded that ICE and DHS provide detailed responses to her concerns and enumerate steps being taken to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of detainees, their families, and staff by November 24, 2025. The letter included questions about staffing levels, contractor services, medical protocols, water quality testing, and population data.​​

The facility opened while still an active construction site, with its first detainees arriving in early August when machinery and dust filled the air, and basic infrastructure remained incomplete. Some toilets and sinks were not functioning during the initial weeks, and the facility had only one outdoor recreation area shared among 1,200 detainees.

The post Lawmaker Escalates Allegations of ‘Inhumane’ Conditions at Nation’s Largest Immigration Detention Facility first appeared on SJO Daily.

The shutdown began on October 1, after Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2026. Democrats tried to extend expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits scheduled to expire at the end of the year, while Republicans resisted including those provisions in the spending bill.

Then eight Senate Democrats—including Durbin, King, Hassan, Shaheen, Cortez Masto, Rosen, Fetterman, and Kaine—joined Senate Republicans (except Rand Paul) to advance a bipartisan agreement on November 9. 

The funding package extends government operations at current spending levels through January 30, 2026, and provides full-year appropriations for three key agencies: the Department of Agriculture, military construction and veterans affairs, and the legislative branch. The bill also guarantees back pay for federal workers who were furloughed or worked without compensation during the shutdown, reverses layoffs initiated by the Trump administration, and prohibits additional mass layoffs until January 30.

The spending package includes $203.5 million for congressional security and $852 million for U.S. Capitol Police, as well as a provision that allows senators to sue for up to $500,000 for data seizures or subpoenas dating back to 2022. 

Democrats believed a promise from Senate Majority Leader John Thune to hold a vote on extending the healthcare tax credits by December 12, though House Speaker Mike Johnson made no such commitment. 

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memorandum directing federal employees to return to work on Thursday, November 13, with agencies instructed to open “in a prompt and orderly manner”. The bill sets up another funding decision on January 30, 2026, when Congress will need to address ongoing appropriations disputes.

The post Government Shutdown Ends After 43 Days, Longest in U.S. History first appeared on SJO Daily.

The controversial provision stems from the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation, which examined events surrounding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. In 2023, the FBI obtained “limited toll records” from eight Republican senators—Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), and Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.)—as well as one House member, Rep. Mike Kelly (Pa.).​

These records, which show call duration, timing, and general location but not conversation content, covered the period from January 4 through January 7, 2021. According to Smith’s indictment of Trump, investigators were examining alleged attempts by the former president to pressure senators as part of efforts to overturn election results.

Attorneys for Smith defended the investigation as “entirely lawful, proper and consistent with established Department of Justice policy,” noting that toll records are historical routing information collected after calls occur, not real-time wiretapping.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) reportedly added the provision to the spending package without House input. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said he was unaware of the language until after the Senate had already passed the bill.

The provision notably excludes House members, meaning Rep. Kelly—whose records were also subpoenaed—would not be eligible for damages. 

Under the provision’s terms, senators could receive $500,000 for each violation—potentially doubling to $1 million if both personal and campaign phone records were accessed. Sen. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday he would “definitely” sue, adding: “If you think I am going to settle this thing for a million dollars? No. I want to make it so painful no one ever does this again.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) excoriated the provision as “one of the most blatantly corrupt provisions for political self-dealing and the plunder of public resources ever proposed in Congress.” He noted the provision allows “any United States Senator—not any citizen, mind you, and not even any Member of Congress, but any Senator” to collect taxpayer-funded damages.

Democrats introduced an amendment during the House Rules Committee meeting to strip the language, but it failed 4-8. Republicans expressed reluctance to support removal despite their objections, citing concerns it would send the bill back to the Senate and prolong the shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson pledged that the House would hold a standalone vote next week to repeal the provision.

Absent from the final package was any extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, which expire December 31, 2025. Without the enhanced credits, premiums are expected to more than double for millions of Americans, and approximately 2 million to 4 million people would lose coverage altogether, according to Congressional Budget Office projections.

Senate Majority Leader Thune promised a mid-December vote on healthcare provisions, but House Speaker Johnson has not committed to bringing similar legislation to the floor.

The post GOP Secures Controversial Payout Provision in Government Funding Bill first appeared on SJO Daily.

The decision followed what officials described as a “rapid decline” in controller callouts, with staffing triggers dropping from a peak of 81 to just four on Wednesday. These staffing triggers, operational alerts that occur when facilities don’t have enough controllers to maintain normal service levels, have served as a key indicator of system stress during the shutdown.

The flight reduction plan had been implemented November 7 in response to mounting safety concerns as air traffic controllers worked through the 43-day government shutdown without pay. The original emergency order called for a phased approach, starting at 4% reductions and ramping up to 10% by November 14.​

More than 10,100 flights were canceled between when restrictions took effect Friday and Wednesday, according to flight tracking data. On Wednesday alone, 900 flights were canceled—the fewest in six days under the FAA requirements.

The shutdown, which began October 1 and officially ended Wednesday night when President Trump signed funding legislation, became the longest in U.S. history. During that time, approximately 14,000 air traffic controllers and 5,000 FAA equipment specialists continued working without paychecks.​​

The prolonged lack of pay created severe financial strain for many federal aviation workers.

While the 6% freeze represents progress, significant restrictions remain in place at the affected airports. These include:​

• Limited general aviation operations at 12 airports
• Restrictions on visual flight rule approaches at facilities with staffing triggers
• Commercial space launches and reentries permitted only between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time
• Prohibitions on parachute operations and photo missions near facilities experiencing staffing constraints

The 40 high-impact airports subject to these measures span more than two dozen states and include major hubs such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Transportation officials did not provide a specific timeline for returning to normal operations. Officials say it will take time for operations to fully stabilize. Flight schedules that were planned months in advance need to be rebuilt, and aircraft repositioned to their proper locations.

Airlines are required to issue full refunds to passengers for canceled flights under the emergency order. The funding bill signed Wednesday guarantees backpay for all federal workers, with different agencies processing payments on varying schedules between November 15 and November 19.​

The shutdown deal funds most federal agencies through January 30, with full-year appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs and military construction projects. It also reverses more than 4,000 layoffs issued during the shutdown and prohibits agencies from implementing reductions in force through January.

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The amendment was introduced by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Whip Katherine Clark.

The amendment would extend ACA premium tax credits through 2028, mirroring the same duration Republicans extended the subsidies in 2022. The credits have made health insurance affordable for tens of millions of Americans, with over 22 million people currently enrolled in ACA marketplace plans benefiting from the enhanced assistance.

Without the extension, healthcare premiums would surge catastrophically. The average ACA enrollee would pay $1,904 annually in premiums in 2026—more than double the current $888—representing a 114% increase.​

For middle-income families, the impact would be particularly severe. A 60-year-old couple earning $85,000 annually would see premiums jump by more than $22,600 per year, consuming roughly a quarter of their income. A family of four making $130,000 would face monthly premium payments rising from $921 to $1,998—an annual increase exceeding $12,900.

If the enhanced credits expire, approximately 4 million Americans would lose health insurance coverage by 2034, according to Congressional Budget Office projections. ​The coverage losses would disproportionately affect lower-income Americans and those living in Republican-represented districts.

The proposal also implicitly challenges Republican healthcare priorities established through their “One Big Ugly Bill”—the budget reconciliation legislation Republicans passed earlier in 2025. That law implemented the largest Medicaid cuts in American history, leading to hospital and nursing home closures across the country and forcing community health centers to shutter their doors.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune promised a floor vote by mid-December on legislation to extend the enhanced ACA subsidies, a commitment that persuaded eight Democrats to break with their party and support reopening the government. But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) repeatedly refused to make the same pledge.

The post Democrats To Propose Three-Year Extension of ACA Tax Credits first appeared on SJO Daily.

The legislation tackles a longstanding problem that has left countless Illinois residents unable to find mental health providers who accept their insurance. Low reimbursement rates have driven behavioral health professionals out of insurance networks, forcing patients to either pay hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket for therapy sessions or forgo care entirely.

HB 1085 establishes reimbursement rate floors for all in-network mental health and substance use disorder services, including inpatient services, outpatient services, office visits, and residential care.

The legislation uses data from the Research Triangle Institute International’s study “Behavioral Health Parity – Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Care Continue” to set minimum payment rates. The formula requires that reimbursement for each service must equal the average reimbursement percentage for Illinois medical and surgical clinicians, plus half the difference between the average and the 75th percentile, multiplied by the applicable Medicare benchmark rate.​

These requirements will apply to all group or individual policies of accident and health insurance or managed care plans that are amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

Beyond reimbursement rates, the legislation addresses several other barriers to mental health care access. Starting with policies renewed on or after January 1, 2026, insurers must:​

Cover multiple same-day services — Insurers will be required to cover all medically necessary mental health or substance use disorder services received by the same patient on the same day, whether from the same or different providers.

Include services by behavioral health trainees — Coverage will extend to services provided by graduate students and postdoctoral trainees working toward clinical licensure under supervision of fully licensed mental health professionals.

Cover 60-minute therapy sessions — Insurers must cover medically necessary 60-minute psychotherapy billed using Current Procedural Terminology Code 90837 without imposing more onerous documentation requirements than other therapy codes.

Complete credentialing within 60 days — Insurance companies must finish the contracting process with mental health providers within 60 days of receiving a completed application, and providers can bill for services at the contracted rate from the date of application submission.

The Illinois Department of Insurance will have authority to assess civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation. The department must also conduct comprehensive reviews at the end of two years, seven years, and 12 years following implementation to assess the impact on network adequacy, out-of-network utilization, and health insurance premiums.​

The legislation requires the Department of Insurance to adopt implementing rules by September 1, 2026.

The bill also amends the Counties Code, Illinois Municipal Code, and School Code to require self-insured counties, municipalities, and school districts to provide the same expanded coverage to their employees.

If signed into law by Governor Pritzker, the mental health parity provisions will take effect June 1, 2026.

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