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Migrant groups have organized a “Women's Pilgrimage” to receive Pope Francis in his visit to the U.S. as a way to bring attention to the struggle of migrants in the country.
The walk titled “Women's Pilgrimage for Migrant Justice” will witness the participation of 100 women and their supporters who will march 100 miles to greet the Pope in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 15.
The action is organized by a coalition of migrant organizations, including We Belong Together, the #Not1More Campaign, Dreamers Moms and PICO, to shed light on the criminalization of migration in the U.S.
“We need leaders to hear the call to recognize the contributions and dignity of those who come here for a better life. We hope the Pope will put migration at the center of his remarks to the president and Congress,” Alejandra Saucedo, a Dreamers Moms member, said in a press release.
The campaign cited the detention of asylum-seeking families, the abuse faced by transgender women in custody, and the continued threat of deportation for the undocumented, as issues that demand immediate attention.
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The migrant women coalition said they have been inspired by remarks made by Pope Francis in June, when he decried migrants are being treated as “merchandise” when they are “the victims of injustice, of this throw-away economy of wars."
"Pope Francis has said that the globalization of migration requires a globalization of charity and cooperation. He describes a world where no one is seen as useless, out of place or disposable, a church without border, and nations that welcome the stranger," said Juana Flores, a former nun and domestic worker, now co-director of the United and Active Women in California, who are among the groups participating in the walk.
"We have much work to do to bring about the world of dignity the pope describes, but we believe each step on our hundred mile journey will bring us another step closer."
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