El Paso Immigrant Advocate Appointed to Vatican Social Justice Body

Dylan Corbett will advise the Catholic Church on issues like immigration while continuing his work at the Hope Border Institute.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 6:55pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, cinematic painting of a lone figure standing on a street corner in El Paso, the warm sunlight and deep shadows creating a contemplative, nostalgic mood that evokes the immigrant advocate's work on the border.The Vatican's appointment of a prominent El Paso immigrant advocate reflects the Catholic Church's efforts to address the plight of migrants through its social justice teachings.El Paso Today

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Dylan Corbett, the executive director of the Hope Border Institute in El Paso, Texas, to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, a Vatican body that advises the church on social justice issues such as immigration, health, and labor. Corbett, a prominent immigrant advocate, will continue his work at the Hope Border Institute while also serving on the governing board of the Vatican dicastery.

Why it matters

Corbett's appointment reflects the Pope's concern for the plight of migrants and the undocumented, particularly along the U.S.-Mexico border. It also demonstrates the Catholic Church's efforts to address contemporary social and political challenges through its social teaching.

The details

Corbett was part of a delegation from El Paso that met with Pope Leo XIV in October 2025 to discuss the impacts of the Trump administration's immigration policies, including mass detention and deportation. The Pope's decision to appoint Corbett to the Vatican dicastery will allow the immigrant advocate to advise the church on these issues while continuing his work at the Hope Border Institute, an organization that combines research, human rights advocacy, and humanitarian action on the border.

  • In October 2025, Corbett met with Pope Leo XIV in El Paso to discuss immigration policies.
  • On March 30, 2026, Pope Leo XIV announced Corbett's appointment to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

The players

Dylan Corbett

The executive director of the Hope Border Institute in El Paso, Texas, and a prominent immigrant advocate who has been appointed to the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Pope Leo XIV

The first pontiff born in the United States, who has appointed Corbett to the Vatican body that promotes the church's social doctrine on issues such as justice, peace, immigration, health, and work.

Hope Border Institute

An organization in El Paso, Texas, that combines research, human rights advocacy, leadership development, and humanitarian action in pursuit of justice on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I think my appointment really reflects the Holy Father's concern for the plight of migrants, the situation of the undocumented here in this country and at the border and in Mexico. And so it's an honor to be able to help advise him on these issues.”

— Dylan Corbett, Executive Director, Hope Border Institute

“To be a person of faith here at the border means to be a person who works for justice, who shows compassion to the vulnerable, who makes that faith credible by translating it into public practice.”

— Dylan Corbett, Executive Director, Hope Border Institute

What’s next

Corbett will begin serving on the governing board of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which will involve frequent travel to Rome, while continuing his work as the executive director of the Hope Border Institute in El Paso.

The takeaway

Corbett's appointment to the Vatican's social justice body reflects the Catholic Church's efforts to address contemporary challenges, particularly the plight of migrants and the undocumented, through its social teaching. It also highlights the influential role that local advocates can play in shaping the church's global priorities.