The Narthex
Immigration and Labor Globalization
Ignoring workers' legal status is unjust and contrary to Catholic social teaching
By John M. Grondelski | October 30th 2025 11:38 AMIn a recent essay, I quoted approvingly Oren Cass’s observation that employment, labor, and immigration law form a coherent legal whole that protects both national security and domestic workers. Summarizing Cass, immigration law determines who can work; employment law fixes “baseline” criteria for the employer-employee relationship; and labor law protects…
READ FULL BLOG POSTImmigration & Priority of Labor over Capital
By backing illegal immigration, churchmen bless a system that exploits workers & enriches capital
By John M. Grondelski | October 27th 2025 11:29 AMIn his video defending immigrants, Chicago archbishop Blase Cupich begins by talking about migrants without regard to their status. “We stand with the father who labors in silence to build a better future.” Then, speaking expressly to immigrants “without documents,” Cupich adds, “Most of you have been here for years.…
READ FULL BLOG POSTWe Need 'Reliable Jobs'
American business can and must include the worker
By John M. Grondelski | March 13th 2025 12:34 PMOren Cass, formerly of the Manhattan Institute and now of American Compass, is a public policy thinker I respect. I may not agree with everything he says -- for example, he’s willing to make peace with a “secular conservatism” to attract today’s young and religiously disaffiliated -- but I especially…
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