On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the Office of Ongoing Education and Immigration Services of the Chicago Province hosted a Zoom Webinar entitled A Moment for Deep Reflection: a Conversation with Isaac Cuevas and Scott Ventrudo on the Current State of Immigration in the United States. Members from all three U.S. provinces attended the online event.

Isaac Cuevas is the Interim Director of the Office of Life, Justice, & Peace of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California.

Scott Ventrudo is the Senior Attorney with the Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project in Los Angles, California.

The webinar addressed concerns surrounding the activities of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the United States over the past several months. Information was given to the participants if ICE agents show up at our SVD institutions. I would like to end this reflection by quoting a recent statement from Bishop Daniel E. Garcia:

As Catholics, we believe that every person is beloved by God and created in his image. Each child of God has value and dignity. Language that denigrates a person or community based on his or her ethnicity or country of origin is incompatible with this truth. I call on all—public officials, community leaders and individuals — to refrain from denigrating and dehumanizing language. May we recognize the rich gifts that neighbors from diverse cultures bring to our communities. The Body of Christ is beautiful in its diversity and each part, while different, is valued and needed. I pray that together, we can be people of welcome, respect, and understanding.

[Bishop Garcia is the Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation]