A group of Long Island Catholics are calling for their church to raise its voice “in defense of immigrant families in our communities” amid recent immigration enforcement activities across the country.
Hundreds of Catholics across the island have signed a petition created by Catholic social justice advocates calling for Diocese of Rockville Centre bishop John Barres to “publicly oppose the cruelty of ICE raids in our communities,” and provide immigrant families with pastoral support and protection, along with advocating for policies “rooted in mercy, justice, and the Gospel message of love.”
Despite Barres signing multiple statements calling for more humane immigration enforcement, those leading the petition effort, including former Suffolk County legislator Jim Morgo and justice advocate Richard Koubeck, said they believe signing letters in solidarity isn’t enough to make change.
“What we're asking him to do is to get it [the statements] out into his parishes… to tell the priests to publish it in the parish bulletin, tell him to preach about it, [and] have petition prayers during the masses about what's happening to immigrants,” Koubeck said.
In November 2025, Barres signed a statement with other bishops across the state in the New York State Catholic Conference titled “For You Too Were Once Aliens…” that calls for a humane approach to immigration enforcement that doesn’t "unnecessarily" separate families, while also recognizing that immigrants or refugees who have committed crimes should face appropriate penalties, including deportation.
The Diocese of Rockville Centre said Barres was “heavily involved” in drafting that statement and that he “continues to share it with the People of God in the Diocese of Rockville Centre.”
That same month, Barres signed the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement that expressed sadness for the ways some immigrants have been treated over the past year.
“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the statement said. “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.”
Both statements recognized a need for border enforcement but that immigration procedures needed more humanity.
Ed Kubik, one of the leaders of the Long Island chapter of Pax Christi, a Catholic peace organization, said while these statements are strongly worded, that he hasn’t seen the diocese spread the message to parishes across the island.
Kubik added that Pope Leo XIV’s statement on immigration enforcement, which the pontiff said is carried out in an “extremely disrespectful way,” should be posted in churches where appropriate.
“This is an opportunity to educate them more on what Catholic Social Teaching has to say about the immigration crisis,” Kubik said. “Parishes could have discussion groups during Mass, during the prayer of the faithful. Our prayer of the faithful can reflect our concern and support for immigrants.
Koubeck, who has been monitoring the petition, said more than 350 Catholics signed on through word of mouth in less than a week, which, in his years advocating for social issues locally, was more than he had ever seen. Petition signatories include Catholics, who Koubeck said haven’t signed onto or joined similar projects that he knew of.
“This thing touched [a] nerve,” Koubeck said.
Koubeck and other petition leaders plan to deliver the petition to bishop Barres on March 15, the fourth Sunday of Lent, known as Laetare Sunday, a day of joy in the church.
“And the themes of the readings for the Mass are justice, shedding light on the world, and giving sight to the blind,” Koubeck said. “So it's kind of perfect to say to him, shed some light. Let people see where you stand, and do the right, do the just thing for these immigrants who are being abused.”
The Diocese of Rockville Centre said that Catholic Charities and 133 other parishes “continue to serve and offer the compassion of Christ to all people,” and that “Bishop Barres keeps in close contact with and is supportive of the pastors who serve our immigrant population throughout Long Island, visiting several parishes every weekend.”
Additionally, the diocese said Barres “made reference to our immigrant and refugee communities at Masses as recent as this past weekend,” and that the bishop continues to publish his 2019 statement on comprehensive immigration reform that emphasizes a call for compassion along with the right to migrate and regulate borders.
“Most of our grandparents and great-grandparents immigrated to the United States for the same reasons as the immigrants who are here today,” Kubik of Pax Christi said. “So our church can play a much stronger role in advocacy, for acceptance, and for immigration policies that are rooted in caring for our neighbor, welcoming the stranger, helping immigrants make a life here in America.”
“That's really what Jesus would do.”
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