More than 15 priests serving in the Archdiocese of Baltimore may face deportation if a recent change in U.S. visa law remains in effect, causing disruption to their ministries and leaving schools, parishes, and other Catholic institutions struggling to fill the gaps.
“If this law does not get changed, we will be without the priests, and it will cause a lot of holes,” said Father James Proffitt, the archdiocesan vicar for clergy. He stressed that the shortage would particularly hurt ministries that rely on priests to serve non-English-speaking communities. “This will impact the church’s ability to minister, especially in other languages. Finding non-native speakers is a real challenge. Some ministries just won’t be able to happen if we don’t have priests to fill the void.”
Priests from various countries, including Cameroon, Nigeria, Mexico, Uganda, Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Colombia, and Italy, serve the archdiocese, according to Father Proffitt. They contribute not only to parishes but also to schools and hospitals, where international priests often serve as chaplains due to a shortage of full-time hospital clergy.
These priests are currently in the United States under one of two types of visas designated for religious workers. The EB-4 visa is an employment-based visa allowing religious workers to immigrate to the U.S. permanently and apply for citizenship. The R-1 visa, by contrast, permits religious workers to enter the U.S. temporarily for up to five years to perform their duties.
However, in March 2023, the State Department made a sudden adjustment in the allocation of EB-4 visas, causing significant delays for many applicants. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops noted in an explanatory note on its website, “One indirect impact of this change is that many more religious workers on a non-immigrant religious worker (R-1) visa, who might otherwise have sought adjustment of status under the EB-4 category, will be forced to leave the United States upon reaching the maximum five-year period of stay allowed for an R-1 visa.”
Although President Joe Biden extended the EB-4 non-minister special immigrant religious worker program through Sept. 30, the extension applies only to those entering the U.S. solely as ministers, along with their spouses and children. The situation remains uncertain for other religious workers.
“Almost immediately after being ordained and getting their first pastoral assignment, the priests apply to get the R-1 visa,” explained Father Proffitt. “This applies to both diocesan priests and external priests who are on loan to the archdiocese.”
Previously, priests with R-1 visas could apply for their green cards within the five-year limit. However, with the recent changes, processing times have increased drastically. Some estimates suggest that obtaining a green card could now take ten years or longer. This delay means that once a priest’s R-1 visa expires, they must leave the U.S. for at least 12 months before reapplying for a new visa.
“All the foreign priests, if they have not gotten a green card and do not have R-1 status, could be deported,” Father Proffitt warned. One of the priests affected is Father Kenneth Lukong, a native of Cameroon and associate pastor at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. He has been serving there since July.
Father Lukong came to the United States in 2016 to attend St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park and was ordained in 2022. He currently holds an R-1 visa, which is set to expire in April 2025.
“Going to my country now for one year would be hazardous to my parish ministry in myriad ways,” Father Lukong expressed. He emphasized the negative impact that his departure would have on his congregation. “Firstly, it will affect the celebration of sacraments to a large population of parishioners who rely on me for spiritual sustenance. I celebrate approximately 10 Masses a week and the sacrament of confession to hundreds of people on a weekly basis.”
In addition to these responsibilities, Father Lukong is actively involved in celebrating baptisms for infants, teaching catechism to adults, and serving as the chaplain of the School of the Cathedral, where he also teaches a class.
“I say in very unequivocal terms that I feel terrible and sad to see such a change that affects a huge population of the United States, because this cannot be considered an oversight,” Father Lukong stated. “I would say the government should reconsider this law because the negative consequences would outweigh any positive impact.”
Other dioceses are similarly affected by the visa change. The Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and five of its priests filed a lawsuit in August against the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The lawsuit alleges that the recent visa law changes are unconstitutional and have caused “profound immigration delays for noncitizen religious workers.”
The visa law revisions are now placing religious communities and the priests who serve them in a precarious situation. The Archdiocese of Baltimore, like many dioceses across the U.S., relies heavily on international priests to serve its diverse congregations, especially as the number of U.S.-born priests continues to decline.
Father Proffitt stressed that without intervention, the consequences could be severe for the Catholic Church’s ability to maintain its current levels of ministry. “It will cause a lot of holes,” he said, reiterating that language barriers make it difficult to find replacement clergy from within the U.S.
The uncertainty surrounding the visa situation has already created anxiety among priests and parishioners alike. With many priests like Father Lukong nearing the expiration of their visas, the stakes are high. These foreign-born priests not only fulfill critical roles within their parishes, but they also bring unique cultural perspectives that enrich the spiritual life of the communities they serve.
The lawsuit filed by the Diocese of Paterson could become a key test case for religious workers and the broader debate over immigration reform in the United States. However, until a resolution is reached, many international priests in the U.S., including those in Baltimore, face an uncertain future, torn between their ministry and the legal challenges they must navigate to stay in the country.
Father Lukong’s concern reflects the apprehension of many priests in his situation: “The government should reconsider this law because the negative consequences would outweigh any positive impact.” As time runs out for many of these priests, the future of their ministries—and the communities they serve—remains in jeopardy.