Catholic bishops in Minnesota say the policies of President Joe Biden’s administration “exacerbated” the immigration crisis in the United States, which is a “nation of laws that must be respected.”
In a Feb. 7 statement, the eight bishops of the northern state said, “Sadly, our nation’s immigration system is broken.”
“For too long, our laws on paper said ‘stop, no entry,’ while in fact, for economic and political reasons, undocumented migrants were allowed inside, sometimes with the encouragement of business interests and even our government,” the bishops said.
The Minnesota bishops’ letter comes after the administration of US president Donald Trump promised to remove the millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Shortly before his inauguration, Pope Francis told an Italian television show “If true, this will be a disgrace,” adding it was “not the problem.”
In their statement, the Minnesotan bishops noted that Francis has often said the migrants are used as “pawns on the chessboard of humanity.”
“To the extent that the new Administration’s actions focus on detaining and deporting those with criminal records who pose a danger to society, we offer our whole-hearted support,” the bishops said.
“We oppose, however, any campaign of indiscriminate immigration enforcement that threatens to unnecessarily or unjustly separate the families of those we have come to know as our brothers and sisters in Christ,” their statement also said.
“The Biden Administration’s migration policies exacerbated these problems, and as a response, President Trump has resolved to instigate measures focused primarily on enforcement and deportations,” the bishops said.
However, the statement showcased why U.S. citizens were concerned by the number of migrants arriving in the country and pointed to the problems it is posing.
“The reality is that even though we, as a nation, have come to rely on undocumented migrants and their many contributions to our communities, they have far too often been treated as political pawns,” the bishops said.
“Their labor is exploited, and they are threatened with deportation and demonized whenever it is politically expedient. They are forced to live in fear and operate often within the shadows of society and the economy. And now they are at risk even in our Catholic churches and schools. Such behavior is a hallmark of what Pope Francis calls a ‘throw-away’ culture,” the statement continued.
“We encourage the [Trump] Administration to conduct immigration enforcement prudently, cautiously, and always with human dignity in mind. Central to protecting human dignity is respecting the security and integrity of the family. And families — especially those with minor children and those whose children or siblings are citizens — should not be separated and deported,” the bishops add.
The letter was signed by Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Bishop Daniel J. Felton of Duluth, Bishop Chad W. Zielinski of New Ulm, Bishop Patrick M. Neary of Saint Cloud, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, and auxiliary bishops Michael J. Izen and Kevin T. Kenney.
It also shows signs of disagreement among Catholic leaders in the United States over how to deal with the policies of the Trump Administration.
In an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation on Jan. 26, Vice President JD Vance was careful not to blame the U.S. bishops directly for the Church’s work with immigrants, but aimed his complaints against the country’s bishops’ conference.
“I think the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has, frankly, not been a good partner in common sense immigration enforcement that the American people voted for, and I hope, again, as a devout Catholic, that they’ll do better,” he told the program.
While the new administration’s policies have been strongly condemned by the southern border bishops, whose dioceses have historically had large numbers of immigrants in their parishes, this enthusiasm has been less seen in dioceses in states where the rush of immigrants is a new phenomenon.
The Minnesota bishops’ statement may be a sign of growing divide within the US episcopate.
On Jan. 31, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington said he had “confidence that comprehensive immigration reform need not harm the dignity of any person.”
“As Catholics,” Burbidge said, “we understand the common good as inclusive of the individual good of each and every member of society. We also understand that the rule of law is to defend and promote the common good.”
“Even when immigration reform includes repatriation of those persons who have committed violent crimes, or who otherwise violate the terms of a right to remain, human dignity can be respected. We must not presume a conflict between human dignity and the rule of law,” Burbidge added.
“Americans earnestly look to our elected officials for a humane and peaceful immigration policy that is just, compassionate, and restores confidence in the rule of law,” he added.
The Trump administration, frequently criticized for a scattershot approach both opponents and supporters have described as one of programmatic chaos, has instead been very precise in its dealing with the Catholic Church. Both Vice President Vance and border czar Tom Homan are practicing Catholics, and have been used for any conflicts with the Church.
Last month, Homan was used to counter the pope’s statements against Trump’s immigration policies.
“They have a wall around the Vatican,” Homan said.
“If you illegally enter the Vatican, the crime is serious. You’ll be charged with a serious crime and jailed. So he can protect the Vatican where he lives. He can build a wall where he lives, but the American people are not allowed that,” he told NewsMax.
The new presidency is not afraid of engaging with the Catholic Church, and if the first few weeks of the administration is any example, the Church will feature prominently in US political news for the next four years.
Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome
