June 11, 2026
CONTACT: Blair Nelsen, Executive Director, Waterspirit
(732) 923-9788,communications@waterspirit.org
Climate Migration Webinar Connects Environment and Immigration
Webinar co-sponsored by Waterspirit and Laudato Si’ Movement New Jersey, draws attention to the environmental dimension of immigration.
Rumson, NJ– Dozens of community members registered to gather today on Zoom to hear about environmental conditions driving migration and the serious risks they present to migrants, including here in New Jersey. Migrants frequently have no option but to settle in environmentally compromised locations that pose risks to their health and well-being.
Founder and Executive Director of Climate Refugees Amali Tower explained the international perspectives and legal frameworks surrounding climate migration. Mercy International Association’s Cecilie Kern expanded upon this based on her experience chairing the NGO Committee on Migration at the U.N. Sister Susan Francois, CSJP, delved into challenges in New Jersey, including the impact of polluting industries and extreme weather on immigrant communities, and human rights abuses at Delaney Hall before a Q&A session.
“We have a moral duty to include migrant support with dignity in any climate justice platform we support. Water scarcity, food scarcity, and natural disasters are among the environmental factors that lead to migration. Climate change is exacerbating each of these,” said Blair Nelsen, Executive Director of Waterspirit.
CSJP Assistant Congregation Leader and Treasurer Sister Susan Francois explained, “Before Delaney Hall was in the national news, a coalition of advocates had been providing mutual aid and support for over a year to family members with loved ones held in detention there. This for-profit detention center is located in Newark's ‘chemical corridor’ with nearby environmental hazards including air and water quality concerns. The cries of the earth and of the poor come together in our backyard at Delaney Hall.”
“At a time when migrants are being increasingly vilified, it bears remembering that humans have been on the move for millennia. As well, seeking asylum and refuge has evolved over centuries from the practice of sanctuary to legal protection. In this era of climate emergency, it is integral that we all preserve this inherent practice, while upholding dignity, humanity and safety, not just for strangers, but for our neighbors next door as well,” said Amali Tower, Climate Refugees Founder and Executive Director.
Mercy International Association’s Global Policy and Research Advocate and Chair of the NGO Committee on Migration Cecilie Kern described it as “a powerful expression of Laudato Si’ in action, calling us to respond with solidarity, protection, and practical policies that defend human dignity, care for our common home, and ensure that people, whether forced to move or unable to move because of climate and environmental factors, are not left to bear the burdens of environmental injustice alone.”
“This webinar shined a light on what Pope Francis highlighted in the Laudato Si' encyclical in relation to the plight of immigrants, that degradation of the environment, changes in climate, and poverty are all inextricably linked and all contributing to the rising tide of international migration,” echoedTerrence Thompson, Laudato Si' Movement Coordinator.“Pope Francis warns that ignoring the suffering of migrating brothers and sisters signals a dangerous loss of our sense of responsibility for our fellow men and women upon which all civil society is founded.”
About Waterspirit:
Founded in 1998 by Sister Suzanne Golas CSJP, Waterspirit is a spiritual ecology nonprofit that empowers people of all faiths to protect the sacred gift of water. In Waterspirit, a reverence for water includes a commitment to preserve and protect this source and sustainer of life. Programs, learning, reflection, and ritual lead to action on behalf of water.
About Laudato Si’ Movement – New Jersey chapter:
The Laudato Si’ Movement is a global Catholic network working to inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice in collaboration with all people of good will.