Diocese of Paterson Capitulates to State in Priest Visa Scandal
An article from Catholic News Agency (November 7, 2025) reports that the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, dismissed its lawsuit against the U.S. government concerning visa issues for foreign-born “priests.” The legal action, initially filed in August 2024, challenged changes to the R-1 religious worker visa and EB-4 green card backlog affecting five foreign nationals serving in the diocese. Attorney Raymond Lahoud claimed a “deal” was reached with federal agencies to resolve the issue nationally through potential legislation or rulemaking, though no details were disclosed. The report frames this as a pragmatic solution to bureaucratic delays, ignoring the deeper theological implications of the Church submitting to secular immigration systems.








