Hope in the Era of Chaos

Gonzaga University’s Payne Center for Leadership Development held its first leadership conference in February, centered on navigating change and uncertainty with hope. Father Pete Neeley, S.J. (’71) delivered the keynote address on his ongoing work in immigration in that vein.

Immigration isn’t a new challenge. Countries around the world have been maneuvering migration, the legalities of it and much more for decades. But as the United States ushers in a second Trump administration, questions abound. During his first week in office, President Donald Trump signed 10 executive orders regarding immigration and publicly promised to carry out mass deportations while tightening border security. Some impacts were immediate, while other orders are now being challenged in court. Even so, the looming uncertainty has instilled a lot of fear in those seeking citizenship, asylum and for those working alongside migrants, like Neeley.

Neeley has dedicated much of his life to the service of migrants at the border near Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico. He is the associate director of education for the Kino Border Initiative, a faith-based organization founded in 2009 to provide humanitarian assistance, education and advocacy for the immigration crisis.

He also hosts Gonzaga students once a year who take part in the Justice in January immersive experience for a week during winter break. For more than a decade, Neeley has helped students learn about immigration with a firsthand look at what happens along the border in Nogales.

This time, Neeley brought his advocacy from the border to Spokane. “Hope in the Era of Chaos” represents the reality of Neeley’s work over the next few years as the U.S. grapples with changes to government policies and a seemingly more divided political playing field.

Despite this, Neeley told students and staff, “We are not going to fall into this chaos. We are going to stay focused and have hope.” He examined the involvement of the Catholic Church in the ongoing crisis, pointing out that many people, including those in power, don’t believe there is a place for religion in political issues such as this.

Neeley believes immigration is, at its core, a human issue impacting human rights and dignity. “The church – from the teachings to the Bible – defends the basic rights and dignity of the human person,” he said. “No person is illegal in God’s eyes. And although the issue is most often spoken of in terms of social and economic impacts, in the end, it’s ultimately humanitarian.”

“It is important to be advocates on behalf of the newcomer. Everybody has to take some kind of stand,” Neeley said, whether in a dorm, at the dinner table or among family. He offered advice for having difficult conversations with those who disagree with you: “Ultimately, what you’re going to do is talk about your experience. ‘I saw this, I heard this, and I felt this.’ No one can take away your experience and that’s where you need to draw from.”

Neeley hopes students will encourage respectful dialogue directed at finding a solution.

“In a university environment, you have to be able to sit down and discuss something you disagree on,” Neeley said. He also urged those in attendance to continue efforts to help and work with migrants and refugees.

“The Church calls us to welcome strangers. This is not an option, folks. This is an obligation, a moral obligation, and it transcends national boundaries and national interests. Thus, placing the Church as a defender of migrants and refugees around the world.”