Religious Liberty, Migration, and the Border
Dublin Core
Title
Religious Liberty, Migration, and the Border
Description
This proclamation was issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, an assembly of Catholic bishops who oversee pastoral functions within Catholic congregations in the United States on on February 6, 2025. The proclamation was then archived online for public access.
This document expresses strong opposition to the Trump administration’s migration and border policies, grounding the proclamation's stance in Catholic doctrine. It specifically condemns the administration’s expansion of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations into hospitals and schools, as well as its attempts to revoke birthright citizenship (Trump, Executive Order 14160) (“Statement from a DHS Spokesperson on Directives Expanding Law Enforcement and Ending the Abuse of Humanitarian Parole,” United States Department of Homeland Security).
This proclamation serves three main purposes. First, it seeks to comfort and support Hispanic immigrant communities, who are predominantly Catholic and directly affected by these policies. Second, it argues that the administration’s actions are immoral, using Catholic teachings to justify this position. Third, it highlights how the government has actively obstructed Catholic organizations working to assist migrants along the US-Mexico border (Mohamed et al., 2023). While the document primarily addresses Catholics, it particularly appeals to Hispanic immigrant communities by emphasizing collaboration between bishops in the US and Mexico. However, it also informs a broader audience about the challenges aid workers face at the border and the alarming nature of the administration’s policies.
This source directly engages with migration issues by discussing recent immigration policies and their moral implications. It underscores the essential role religious organizations play at the US-Mexico border and their efforts to uphold the human rights of migrants. The proclamation also highlights the US government’s attempts to hinder Catholic missions from fulfilling their religious duty to help those in need—an act that contradicts the country’s foundational commitment to religious freedom. Since this statement comes from a religious organization, it raises concerns about the unethical direction of US migration policy, a warning that all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, should take seriously.
As readers analyze this source, they should consider why an outside religious organization must step in to protect migrants' human rights and why the government is aggressively working to reduce its capacity to do so. They should also reflect on how politicians manipulate religion, particularly Christianity, to promote hatred, racism, and xenophobia, despite clear biblical and doctrinal teachings that oppose such views.
This document expresses strong opposition to the Trump administration’s migration and border policies, grounding the proclamation's stance in Catholic doctrine. It specifically condemns the administration’s expansion of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations into hospitals and schools, as well as its attempts to revoke birthright citizenship (Trump, Executive Order 14160) (“Statement from a DHS Spokesperson on Directives Expanding Law Enforcement and Ending the Abuse of Humanitarian Parole,” United States Department of Homeland Security).
This proclamation serves three main purposes. First, it seeks to comfort and support Hispanic immigrant communities, who are predominantly Catholic and directly affected by these policies. Second, it argues that the administration’s actions are immoral, using Catholic teachings to justify this position. Third, it highlights how the government has actively obstructed Catholic organizations working to assist migrants along the US-Mexico border (Mohamed et al., 2023). While the document primarily addresses Catholics, it particularly appeals to Hispanic immigrant communities by emphasizing collaboration between bishops in the US and Mexico. However, it also informs a broader audience about the challenges aid workers face at the border and the alarming nature of the administration’s policies.
This source directly engages with migration issues by discussing recent immigration policies and their moral implications. It underscores the essential role religious organizations play at the US-Mexico border and their efforts to uphold the human rights of migrants. The proclamation also highlights the US government’s attempts to hinder Catholic missions from fulfilling their religious duty to help those in need—an act that contradicts the country’s foundational commitment to religious freedom. Since this statement comes from a religious organization, it raises concerns about the unethical direction of US migration policy, a warning that all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, should take seriously.
As readers analyze this source, they should consider why an outside religious organization must step in to protect migrants' human rights and why the government is aggressively working to reduce its capacity to do so. They should also reflect on how politicians manipulate religion, particularly Christianity, to promote hatred, racism, and xenophobia, despite clear biblical and doctrinal teachings that oppose such views.
Source
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Religious Liberty Backgrounder: Religious Liberty, Migration, and the Border," 2025.
Date
February 6, 2025
Collection
Citation
“Religious Liberty, Migration, and the Border,” The Kudzu Experience, accessed July 21, 2025, https://kudzu.ecdsomeka.org/items/show/121.