Under immigration enforcement by successive U.S. Administrations, it has become increasingly difficult to bring foreign priests and lay workers into rural America. There is a path forward, however. A bipartisan bill, the Religious Workforce Protection Act, now in Congress, would allow ministers on temporary visas to remain in their roles while waiting for residency. If passed, it would mean stability for ministers in religious congregations throughout the United States who are changing lives. It would also mean hope for communities that depend on them.
