Bishops visit Texas detention center for migrant families
March 30, 2015
Three Catholic bishops, joined by two Lutheran counterparts, visited a new detention center in Dilley, Texas, designed to house migrant women and children who have entered the United States illegally.
“Why do we feel compelled to place in detention such vulnerable individuals, traumatized young mothers with children fleeing persecution in their home countries?” said Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio.
“A great nation such as ours need not incarcerate the most vulnerable in the name of deterrence,” he added. “The moral character of a society is judged by how it treats the most vulnerable in our midst. Our nation’s family detention policy is shameful and I implore our elected officials to end it."
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Further information:
- Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran Bishops Visit Texas Detention Facility, Call For An End To Detention Of Families (USCCB)
- Detention Center Presented as Deterrent to Border Crossings (New York Times)
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Posted by: unum -
Apr. 04, 2015 11:04 AM ET USA
“Why do we feel compelled to place in detention such vulnerable individuals, traumatized young mothers with children fleeing persecution in their home countries?” Little evidence of persecution has been provided to the American people by its government or the Catholic bishops. We have been given only political arguments in support of the illegal immigration of foreigners by a government that has a record of lying, and "trust me" statements by our bishops!
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Mar. 30, 2015 6:31 PM ET USA
At a confirmation last Saturday I heard the Archbishop saying essentially the same thing.
