Green Bay Diocese sign July 14, 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Bishops with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference released a letter standing in solidarity with immigrants coming to the U.S.
The letter seeks to outline the Catholic Church’s position on immigration, saying they wish to protect dignity through welcoming the stranger, uphold the rule of law, and foster the common good comprehensive immigration reform.
We are all sisters and brothers in Christ, made in the image and likeness of God. Let us all show great tenderness and solidarity to those who fear that their families could be separated and their lives uprooted. Let us press our federal elected officials so that they finally pass comprehensive immigration reform. As citizens, it is our responsibility to ensure that we are governed by just laws. There is no inherent contradiction in upholding human dignity, the common good, and the rule of law.
In the section on immigration reform, the bishops argue mass deportation is not a solution. The letter goes on to say the immigration system in the U.S. has been broken regardless of the party in power. It also discusses concerns the bishops have with limited paths to citizenship.
“Legal pathways to entry, residency, and citizenship have become so few and so burdensome that many individuals risk everything to enter illegally. This puts them in danger of exploitation,” it states.
David Ricken, the bishop of Green Bay was one of nine Wisconsin bishops to sign the letter. The letter encourages immigrants to know their rights and to reach out to their local resources if they need assistance, including the Diocese of Green Bay.
Religious institutions across the world, including the Pope, have critiqued the Trump administration’s policies toward immigration, including working toward mass deportations and allowing immigration raids to be conducted at churches and schools.
The moves have also been subject to legal challenges and protests, including one over the weekend in Green Bay.
Polls, however, suggest most Americans support increasing efforts to deport those living in the U.S. illegally.
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