Father Gary Graf, pastor of Our Lady of the Heights in Chicago Heights, joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to discuss his “Step Up, Speak Out” pilgrimage — a 900-mile walk from Dolton, Illinois, to the Statue of Liberty — aimed at calling attention to the struggles of immigrant families and urging Americans to balance compassion with law.
Graf said his journey is both prayerful and practical, intended to “bring to light the truth of what is happening to immigrant families in America.” While he agreed that enforcing immigration laws is not inherently immoral, he believes current enforcement methods often fall short of the nation’s ideals. “We’re supposed to be hard on the issue but soft on the person,” he said. “The way people are being treated now is not the America I grew up in.”
The longtime priest and community leader argued that decades of political inaction have allowed the immigration system to stagnate. “This issue has been passed from administration to administration for over 40 years,” he said. “We need reform that’s compassionate and realistic — laws that reflect both justice and humanity.” Graf added that while illegal entry cannot be condoned, many who come are motivated by the same desire that drove earlier waves of immigrants: to work hard and build better lives for their families.
Host Dan Proft challenged Graf on whether compassion can coexist with sanctuary policies that defy federal law, citing theologian Thomas Aquinas’ belief that charity must be governed by reason. Graf agreed that sanctuary policies are imperfect but argued that church leaders play a distinct role. “Our task isn’t to write laws but to remind people of their humanity,” he said. “We can influence policy by speaking the truth in compassion.”
Graf’s pilgrimage, called The Footprint Project, seeks to create dialogue across communities by listening to personal stories of migration and resilience. “This walk is about listening,” he explained. “Ellis Island tells one chapter of America’s story — I want people to hear the new one being written today.”