The Diocese of Paterson’s Withdrawal Leaves Immigrants Without a Champion

In a disappointing turn for advocates of immigrant rights, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, has voluntarily dismissed its federal lawsuit against the U.S. government, a case that had the potential to deliver meaningful relief to countless foreign-born religious workers and immigrants caught in bureaucratic limbo. The Diocese had previously challenged a 2023 federal policy change that dramatically disrupted the immigration process for religious workers under the EB-4 visa category. By withdrawing the case, one of the few nationwide efforts to push back against this harmful policy has been abruptly cut short.

The original lawsuit targeted the Departments of State and Homeland Security over their decision to reclassify certain applicants into the same visa queue as religious workers, resulting in severe backlogs and years-long wait times. This sudden change left thousands of faith-based employees, including priests, ministers, and nonprofit religious staff, stranded without a clear path to permanent residency. Many of these individuals, having devoted years of service to U.S. communities, now face the grim prospect of returning to their home countries simply because their lawful R-1 status will expire before they can adjust to permanent residence.

The Diocese’s complaint had argued that the government’s actions were arbitrary, violated administrative procedure, and infringed upon religious freedom by impeding the ability of churches and ministries to carry out their missions. These were weighty claims that deserved judicial review and could have set important precedent for faith-based organizations and immigrant workers across the country. Unfortunately, the voluntary dismissal means that no court will weigh in on the legality of the agencies’ actions or the harm done to religious and immigrant communities.

Even more troubling is that, as of today, there has been no indication that the federal government has corrected or reversed the underlying policy that sparked the suit. The EB-4 backlog remains, and religious workers continue to face uncertainty about their futures. The quiet withdrawal of the Diocese’s lawsuit leaves advocates without one of the few active cases challenging the government’s approach - a loss not just for the plaintiffs, but for every immigrant and religious organization affected by these procedural shifts.

The Diocese of Paterson had an opportunity to stand firm for justice, transparency, and the rule of law. Instead, its retreat leaves an uncomfortable vacuum - one in which immigrant-serving institutions must fend for themselves while the policy problems persist. For immigration practitioners and community leaders, this episode is a reminder of how quickly potential reform efforts can falter when institutional plaintiffs step back, and how vital continued advocacy is to protect the rights and dignity of immigrants in every sector of American life.