Seeking humane solutions to immigration
The bishops along the border of the United States and Northern Mexico issued a joint statement on the situation at the border at the beginning of April.
As U.S. and Mexican bishops along the border, we constantly witness the dilemma that our migrant sisters and brothers face. We know that for most, the decision to migrate is not motivated by an indifference toward their homeland or the pursuit of economic prosperity; it is a matter of life or death. The situation is all the more difficult for children.
Families with small children are walking more than 1,000 miles from Central America through Mexico to flee gang violence and cartels, and seek security. They arrive with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. Due to the Remain in Mexico policy, they have camped in tents and shelters across the border for 18 months, awaiting their turn to seek asylum through appropriate channels. The Texas border bishops have noted that many turn themselves into Border Patrol because they want to enter the United States properly.
Imagine as a parent what conditions would have to be like for you to walk 1,000 miles with your three or four children, younger than 6, and then camp for a year in extreme weather by a mosquito-infested river — just for a chance at safety, security, work and education.
San Antonio is serving as a temporary home to about 1,500 young men and boys — unaccompanied minors — who, for the most part, are seeking to unite with family members in the United States. The Freeman Coliseum and surrounding building are housing these youth who have come from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, Nicaragua and a few other countries.
I was blessed to celebrate Easter Sunday Mass for these boys, most of whom had not been able to attend a liturgy for many months. They have incredible faith.
I have worked with migrants for more than 30 years, and I have never been to a location in which I witnessed such outstanding service, kindness and ministry of presence from all involved — from the government agencies, Catholic Charities, the many volunteers and the staff. It was incredible, and I am very grateful. I was able to pray with them and even play soccer. Some of the older boys are very good.
There have been alarming phrases used to describe the situation at the border, but the current number of migrants is consistent with spring migration patterns. The presence of cartels and traffickers is also greatly exaggerated.
Challenges regarding immigration require humanitarian solutions.
Undoubtedly, nations have the right to maintain their borders. This is vital to sovereignty and self-determination. At the same time, there is a shared responsibility of all nations to preserve human life and provide for safe, orderly and humane immigration, including the right to asylum.
For that reason, the U.S. and Mexico bishops appealed to our governments, political leaders and civil society to work together to welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants in accordance with their intrinsic dignity, as well as work with other countries in the region to eliminate conditions that compel their citizens to resort to dangerous and irregular migration, producing long-term solutions.
We maintain that family unity must be a vital component of any response. We ask that special attention be given to particularly vulnerable populations, such as children. We must be with them. We strongly urge that structures be put in place and reforms in our laws be made to both promote a welcoming culture for our sisters and brothers and respect the sovereignty and safety of our countries.
We bishops pledge our support to continue helping our respective governments’ efforts to protect and care for families, as well as individuals who feel compelled to migrate. To accomplish this we commit to the ongoing work of Catholic organizations — such as Catholic Charities — at the border and elsewhere, which are generously tended to by laypeople, consecrated persons and the clergy.