PATERSON, N.J., Aug. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson filed a federal lawsuit in the District Court of New Jersey, alleging that the U.S. Department of State and other agencies unlawfully and unconstitutionally altered the calculation of visa availability for certain noncitizens, creating profound immigration delays for noncitizen religious workers. 

"This complaint concerns a broken promise of the United States Government to not interfere with the freedom of an individual or employer to freely exercise their religion," said Raymond G. Lahoud of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Counsel for the Diocese of Paterson. "We urge the community to support us in our effort to quell this unconstitutional action and realign the immigration laws of the United States with our shared values."

The complaint describes a crisis of law and faith, as noncitizen religious workers in the United States now must choose to remain faithful to their congregations and violate federal law, or otherwise abandon the very communities they have devoted themselves to serve. Additionally, the complaint alleges the U.S. Government's implementation of immigration law discriminates against religious employers and favors nonreligious employers.

"They have made a commitment to the faithful Diocese of Paterson and to the Roman Catholic Church which is now being impeded on by the federal government," said Lahoud.

In recent years, the Diocese of Paterson, like Catholic Dioceses across the country, have increasingly relied upon foreign-born clergy to serve its faithful congregants and communities. 

"While in the US there is a lack of young men entering the priesthood, we are encouraged by the number of Foreign-born priests who have dedicated their lives to pastoral pursuits," said Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Diocese of Paterson. "Our Catholic communities rely on our international clergy to shepherd our flocks and nourish their spiritual journey."

"The State Department's change to the regulations threatens our mission to serve our communities," said Bishop Sweeney.

Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is a multi-practice, commercial law firm with offices in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, delivering legal solutions to clients wherever they conduct their business, including nationally and internationally. The firm's nearly 130 attorneys practice in more than 25 legal disciplines and industry-focused groups and serve a wide range of clients, including small businesses, middle-market companies, and Fortune 500 corporations, as well as the private individuals and families who may own, lead, and/or manage those companies. Norris McLaughlin is a member of Meritas®, a global alliance of leading independent law firms. To learn more, visit www.norrismclaughlin.com. 

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SOURCE Norris McLaughlin, P.A