Young Latino Catholics Shape Church's Future Through Migrant Advocacy

Young Latino Catholics are changing how our faith community responds to immigration challenges. On Ash Wednesday 2026, Catholic priests celebrated Mass with detainees at an ICE facility in Illinois after winning a legal battle for spiritual access.

This victory came from the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, founded by young advocates Michael N. Okińczyc-Cruz and Joanna Arellano-Gonzalez. That same day, Catholics in Communion launched its Season of Faithful Witness campaign, led by faith organizers Joseph Tomás McKellar and Sergio Lopez. The campaign invites Catholics to pray and advocate for migrants.

These leaders represent a growing movement. About 4 in 10 Catholics in the United States are Hispanic or Latino. Among young Catholics born after 1982, that number rises to 5 in 10. Most young Latinos were born in the United States - 94% of Latinos under 18 and 65% of millennial Latinos are U.S.-born.

Young Latino Catholics serve as "gente puente" or bridge builders between cultures. In their parishes, they teach English to migrants, fight racism, feed hungry families, and care for the environment. Many take social justice trips to the U.S.-Mexico border, write letters to elected officials about immigration reform, and help migrants file taxes.

Our Catholic bishops recognize this leadership. In 2018, they held the Fifth National Encuentro, consulting nearly 300,000 Catholics about faith priorities. In 2023, they approved the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, making Latino youth support a top priority. Pope Francis has also called for more room for young Latino voices in our church.