There is a long history of Catholic social practice based on Catholic concepts of social justice in the United States. One key area today concerns the plight of immigrants from Mexico and Latin America. Based on her work with Catholic faith communities along the Arizona-Mexico border, Demetria Martinez, novelist, poet, and journalist, will discuss her earlier engagement with the sanctuary movement as well as her recent activism in promoting immigrant rights. She is the author of the novel “Mother Tongue” and a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter .