Dallas bishop asks lawyers to assist migrant children
July 30, 2014
Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, joined by Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth, appealed to lawyers to volunteer to assist unaccompanied migrant children.
The children “are running from tremendous violence, drug wars,” said Bishop Farrell, according to a Dallas Morning News report.
Bishop Farrell said that without legal representation before immigration judges, a child faces a 90% chance of deportation. “If that were to happen, what are they returning to? Some of them to certain death.”
The newspaper reported that in addition to legal services, Catholic Charities of Dallas is providing toiletries, picture books, and religious items, including rosaries and Bibles, to the children.
In a July 28 online article, Bishop Farrell said that “we must take ownership of our share of responsibility for the influx of refugees.”
“The violence from which the children are fleeing is to a large extent of our making because the market for illegal drugs is greatest in the United States,” he wrote. “The guns that are sold to gangs and drug traffickers and that are at the root of the violence in Mexico and Central America come from our country.”
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Further information:
- Dallas-Fort Worth Catholic leaders appeal for legal help in border crisis (Dallas Morning News)
- U.S. Shares Responsibility for Border Crisis (Bishop Kevin Farrell)
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Posted by: shrink -
Jul. 30, 2014 2:26 PM ET USA
Good Bsp Farrell does not explain in his article (because he does not understand) why the "kids" are pouring over the the border at this time. It is not wise, nor is it the business of the bishops to use our charitable contributions to provide cover to the man who precipitated this crisis by his executive orders. These "kids" should be treated kindly, and then returned to their homes, and not get lawyered up with or without Catholic money to be played like pawns in a sick political game.
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Posted by: Jason C. -
Jul. 30, 2014 12:52 PM ET USA
“we must take ownership of our share of responsibility for the influx of refugees.” Well, that was easy. Turns out I'd already done my share of zero.
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Posted by: Defender -
Jul. 30, 2014 10:43 AM ET USA
Here all along I thought it were those who make and enforce our laws to take responsibility. That must be the reason why all the bishops have imposed Canon 915 on the many CINO politicians and their own diocesan programs as examples of taking their own share of responsibility. I'm sure the money the USCCB gives to other Catholic conferences and all their trips to Rome and other photo ops they engage in might help, too.
