One hundred women set out on a 100-mile pilgrimage from Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. in hopes of meeting Pope Francis in the nation's capital next week while calling for more humane and compassion immigration laws.

From Sept. 15 to 23, 100 immigrant women and their supporters will walk from state to state as part of the "We Belong Together" campaign, states the campaign's website. The weeklong march kicked off Tuesday morning in front of the York County Prison in Pennsylvania with a prayer vigil. The women then began walking towards their first stop in New Freedom, Pa.

Throughout the walk, the marchers carried signs demanding reform of the U.S. immigration system.

They plan to meet the pope, who is scheduled to arrive in D.C. on Sept. 22 and stay until the 24.

Andrea Cristina Mercado, an organizer from We Belong Together, said the goal of the march is to change the nation's policies to "policies of compassion and not policies of cruelty."

"Five years ago, we started the We Belong Together campaign in a moment of crisis for our community, in the wake of the passage of Arizona's SB-1070 law," said Mercado, according to NewsWorks.

She added that the We Belong Together's stance is simple: "Women for common-sense immigration policies."

"With Pope Francis' visit to the United States, our faith and our act of love can create the world that we want for our children. We each carry personal reasons for why we are embarking on this journey. I believe in the power of our intentions, I believe in collective prayer," Mercado said during her speech, reports WiFT. "We can inspire the American people and our politicians to treat migrants and refugees with dignity and respect."

Once they arrive in Washington, the group plans to hold a prayer vigil in front of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 22. We Belong Together has invited the Pope to attend the vigil, but has not heard back from the Vatican.