Catholic groups reiterate 'solidarity with immigrants' amid a new administration, Congress

Catholic groups reiterate 'solidarity with immigrants' amid a new administration, Congress
By Kate Scanlon , OSV News

WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Catholic organizations have reiterated their "solidarity with immigrants" and shared what the first 100 days of a second Trump administration may bring on immigration policy.

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on hardline immigration policies, including his call for mass deportations, arguing in a September presidential debate that those without legal status "destroyed the fabric of our country."

In a Nov. 18 post on his social media website, Trump quoted a post claiming his administration would be "prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets" for a mass deportation program, adding, "TRUE!!!"

He did not offer specifics on how he would carry out such a program. Calls for mass deportations run contrary to the Second Vatican Council's teaching in "Gaudium et Spes" condemning "deportation" among other actions, such as abortion, that "poison human society," a teaching St. John Paul II affirmed in two encyclicals on moral truth and life issues.

Three U.S. Catholic bishops issued a joint statement of pastoral concern Nov. 14 pledging support for immigrants.

"Compelled by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and recognizing the inherent dignity of each person as a child of God, we stand in firm solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters who live and labor in these United States," wrote Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Migration; and Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California, chairman of the board for Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC.

Karen Sullivan, director of advocacy for CLINIC, a nonprofit that provides training and support for more than 400 Catholic and community-based immigration law providers in 49 U.S. states, told OSV News that the organization "will keep a close eye" on border and asylum policies in the first 100 days after Inauguration Day.

"The Biden administration had already put restrictive regulations in place for those seeking protection at the border," she said. "Based on the last Trump administration and rhetoric during the election season, we expect that they will try to narrow the pathway to asylum even further."

Sullivan said CLINIC is "also concerned that the Trump administration could bring back Migrant Protection Protocols, or 'Remain in Mexico' policy, subjecting thousands of immigrants at the border to kidnappings, violent crime and discrimination based on minority identities."

The Trump administration will likely issue a new memo with new enforcement guidelines for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, she said.

"Based on previous experience, it is likely that this memo will set nearly all undocumented individuals at the same priority," Sullivan said. "If that pattern continues into this new administration, enforcement practices are likely to be unpredictable, as the agencies do not have sufficient funding to carry out enforcement against all of the individuals prioritized, so operations may lack focus and fail to follow guidelines. In particular, we will pay attention to the protected-areas policy that prohibits enforcement operations in spaces like churches, hospitals and schools, among others."

The possible termination of Temporary Protected Status for various countries as they come due for renewal, as well as renewal of status for those on various types of humanitarian parole, are other areas of concern, she said.

Asked if CLINIC anticipates religious liberty challenges for Catholic ministries that serve migrants as part of their ministry, especially those at the U.S.-Mexico border, Sullivan said such challenges have already come from "state governments in recent years, and it is very possible that those challenges will also come from the federal level."

In a Nov. 14 statement, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, an international Catholic organization that advocates for refugees and other forcibly displaced people, said the group looks forward "to working with the new Congress to modernize our country's immigration system; create more lawful pathways for migrants; develop immigration reform measures that respect human dignity and promote family unity; and improve the U.S.'s asylum system."

"U.S. leadership in providing lifesaving humanitarian aid around the world remains indispensable," it said, adding, "We urge Congress to continue to support foreign assistance to address the multiple tragic humanitarian crises and support development assistance that can reduce the pressure on those who would try to migrate irregularly, permitting people to flourish in their home countries."