Since the arrival of the Puritans, various religious groups, including Quakers, Jews, Catholics, and Protestant sects, have migrated to the United States. The role of religion in motivating their migration and shaping their settlement experiences has been well documented. What has not been recorded is the contemporary story of how migrants from Mexico and Central America rely on religion--their clergy, faith, cultural expressions, and everyday religious practices--to endure the undocumented journey.

At a time when anti-immigrant feeling is rising among the American public and when...