Michigan Catholic bishops urge support for 'undocumented' immigrant families

Yahoo

29-01-2025

As the administration of President Donald Trump intensifies immigration enforcement, the leaders of the Catholic Church in Michigan expressed support for immigrants regardless of their legal status and criticized hateful rhetoric aimed at them.
In a pastoral note to migrants released Monday in English and Spanish, all of the state's 10 Catholic bishops said that supporting immigrants is rooted in their faith.
"Our fraternal closeness to you and other immigrants, refugees, and those seeking humanitarian asylum is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, where we find 'I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me … Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me' (Matthew 25:35,40)," the note published Monday reads. "We hear and empathize with families across the state who express anxiety and fear over mass deportations and harmful rhetoric that broadly demeans our immigrant brothers and sisters."
The Archdiocese of Detroit, the largest diocese in Michigan, sent the note to its more than 200 parishes in southeastern Michigan, inviting them to publish it in their parish bulletins, Holly Fournier, an associate director at the archdiocese, said. It was also published online at the Michigan Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan.
The note was accompanied by a list of Frequently Asked Questions that explained Catholic teachings on immigration, calling for immigration reform that "offers fair and generous pathways to full citizenship for immigrants living and working for many years within this country." The FAQ section added that while the Catholic Church supports immigrants, it does not support open borders and "encourages the use of lawful immigration pathways. The Church does not encourage unnecessary or irregular migration."
The note was one of the strongest statements made in recent years by Catholic leaders in Michigan in support of immigrants. It echoes the views of the national representative of the Catholic Church, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Archbishop of Detroit Allen Vigneron was the lead signer of the note.
"We urge our elected officials to support policies that keep immigrant and undocumented families safe and united, and to protect those who arrived as children," said Michigan's bishops. "We call on the Michigan congressional delegation to work for a humane immigration system that welcomes refugees and immigrants by providing a fair pathway to citizenship; one that also keeps borders safe and secure from criminal activity, including human trafficking and the smuggling of illegal drugs."
The pastoral note is one of several ways that faith leaders have responded to Trump's executive orders on immigration. A couple of churches in metro Detroit hosted know-your-rights events in recent weeks for immigrants and a Lutheran congregation in Detroit has declared itself a sanctuary congregation for immigrants.
The note from Michigan's leaders comes after a week of contentious debate between the USCCB and some conservatives, including Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic. On Thursday, the USCCB had released a statement criticizing a part of a Trump executive order signed last week that ended protections for sensitive locations such as churches and schools that blocked them from being raided by federal immigration agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Some churches have acted as sanctuaries for immigrants over the years.
'Human Dignity is Not Dependent on a Person's Citizenship or Immigration Status," read the title of the USCCB statement on Jan. 23.
"Non-emergency immigration enforcement in schools, places of worship, social service agencies, healthcare facilities, or other sensitive settings where people receive essential services would be contrary to the common good," the USCCB statement said. "With the mere rescission of the protected areas guidance, we are already witnessing reticence among immigrants to engage in daily life, including sending children to school and attending religious services."
In response, Vance said on Sunday that "as a practicing Catholic, I was actually heartbroken by that statement." He spoke about how some Catholic groups receive federal money to assist immigrants, saying they are influenced by the government funding.
"I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns?" Vance said. "Or are they actually worried about their bottom line? We're going to enforce immigration law. We're going to protect the American people."
In response, the USCCB issued another statement on Monday, defending its programs, saying that helping refugees is being "faithful to the teaching of Jesus Christ."
"In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs," the statement from Catholic leaders said. "Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church.'
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Michigan's Catholic leaders released the pastoral note the following day, echoing those views.
"As shepherds of our flocks, we pledge amid such uncertainty to promote through the Michigan Catholic Conference and in our respective dioceses unyielding support and respect for the human dignity of all migrant people in our midst," the Michigan bishops said in the note.
Quoting from the Bible, the note added: "Mindful of the dire conditions from which many travel, oftentimes with children through great difficulty and despair, we encourage you, our migrant brothers and sisters, to be strengthened by our Lord's words." The note also made reference to Our Lady of Guadalupe, a title often used by Mexican Catholics to describe the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
"With abundant love and trust, we ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to hear the cries of the suffering and offer to her maternal compassion and protection all who seek her heavenly intercession," the note said.
This is not the first time Catholic leaders in Michigan have expressed support for immigrants. During Trump's first term, Vigneron released several statements in support of immigrants and Muslims.
Catholics are the largest religious group in Michigan. There are about 900,000 Catholics in the six counties that make up the Archdiocese of Detroit, with close to 1.5 million Catholics statewide.
Other Christian denominations have been wrestling with immigration issues this month. With Trump sitting in front of her at an interfaith service last week, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, told the president "to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,' referring to immigrants and LGBTQ children.
"The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals," she said.
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Her views were echoed by the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, the Right Rev. Bonnie Perry, who said in a Facebook post that Budde's remarks "made clear the welcome and care that we in the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan and the Episcopal Church writ large offer to the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants and refugees."
At a protest last week in Grand Rapids on Inauguration Day in support of immigrants, Pastor Ricardo Angarita of United Methodist Church La Nueva Esperanza said, "Jesus always showed us that God cares for and loves all nations and immigrants, seeking peace and protection for them.'
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Catholic bishops urge support for 'undocumented' immigrants