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Immigration: bishops lament planned surge in deportations

May 27, 2016

The chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration decried the Obama administration’s report surge in immigration deportation raids.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement effort is focusing on “Central American mothers and children found to have entered the country illegally,” the Reuters news agency reported.

“Sending women and children back to Central America will not serve as an effective deterrent to migration because this is a humanitarian crisis and individuals from the region are being forced to flee for their lives,” said Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo of Seattle.

“These operations spark panic among our parishes,” he added. “No person, migrant or otherwise, should have to fear leaving their home to attend church or school. No person should have to fear being torn away from their family and returned to danger.”

Archbishop José Gomez Los Angeles described the raids as “yet another depressing sign of the failed state of American immigration policy.”

 


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  • Posted by: unum - May. 27, 2016 10:21 PM ET USA

    The bishops blanket support of illegal immigration conflicts with Church teaching on the role of civil authority. At present, the bishops naive stand on immigration ignores the responsibility that civil authorities have for adequate screening of refugees. In their ignorance, the USCCB are supporting immigrant threats to public safety, crime, drug smuggling, and the abuse of minor children. The bishops must limit their support of immigrants to true refugee situations and legal immigration.

  • Posted by: JimKcda - May. 27, 2016 8:05 PM ET USA

    Deport the criminals, male and female, and leave the law abiding good mothers and kids alone.