🔗 Share this article American Catholic Bishops Criticize Trump Administration Border Enforcement In a uncommon formal message, America's Catholic bishop leadership has issued a sharp criticism of the White House's immigration policies. Formal Statement Expresses Serious Worry The bishops voiced being troubled by threats against the sacred nature of religious sites and the special nature of medical facilities and educational institutions. We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Atmosphere of Anxiety Through their statement, the bishops characterized what they termed "a environment of apprehension around questions of profiling" and immigration enforcement. They expressed being saddened by the present discourse and negative portrayal of migrants, while opposing what they referred to as "the indiscriminate mass deportation of people." Other Worries Church authorities also expressed serious worries about: Circumstances in migrant detention facilities Arbitrary removal of authorized standing for some migrants Lack of comprehensive immigration system improvements Policy Changes The White House has pursued an stringent border policy since taking office, including rescinding policies that limited immigration apprehensions near sensitive locations such as places of worship, healthcare establishments and learning institutions. Global Perspective The statement parallels equivalent concerns made by the Catholic pontiff, who has called for "deep reflection about the way immigrants are being addressed in the US under present leadership." Extended Ramifications This represents the initial formal statement of its nature in 12 years, underscoring the seriousness of the church leaders' worries about present border measures.