American Catholic Church Leaders Criticize White House Border Policies

Via a rare public statement, America's Catholic bishop leadership has delivered a firm denunciation of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

Formal Statement Shows Serious Worry

Religious authorities voiced being troubled by threats against the special status of religious sites and the protected status of hospitals and schools.

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 church leaders described what they called "a environment of apprehension around questions of targeting" and immigration enforcement.

They revealed being disappointed by the ongoing debate and demonization of foreign nationals, while resisting what they referred to as "the widespread removal of people."

Additional Concerns

The bishops also voiced major apprehensions about:

• Situations in immigration detention centers
• Arbitrary removal of authorized standing for certain immigrants
• Insufficiency in comprehensive immigration system improvements

Policy Changes

The Trump administration has implemented an stringent border policy since assuming power, including eliminating policies that limited immigration detentions near designated sites such as places of worship, healthcare establishments and learning institutions.

Global Perspective

The declaration echoes comparable criticisms made by the Catholic pontiff, who has urged "serious consideration about the way migrants are being addressed in the US under Trump."

Wider Consequences

This constitutes the premier official declaration of its kind in more than ten years, highlighting the seriousness of the religious authorities' apprehensions about current immigration policies.