US Catholic Bishops President Criticizes Mass Deportations, Emphasizes Dignity and Humane Treatment of Immigrants
USCCB President Archbishop Paul Coakley has spoken out against the Trump administration's mass deportations, stating they are instilling widespread fear in immigrant communities across the country.
He urged the administration to be generous in welcoming immigrants while also recognizing the importance of secure borders.
Coakley emphasized that dignity is God-given and not dependent on a person's legal status, highlighting Catholic teaching that people have a right to remain in their homeland but may migrate if conditions are unsafe.
The fear caused by immigration raids has been linked to reduced Mass attendance in some parishes.
Last month, the USCCB adopted a special message condemning the mass deportation agenda and the vilification of migrants, calling for pastoral care in detention centers.
Pope Leo XIV endorsed this special message and named Ronald Hicks as the next archbishop of New York, with Cardinal Dolan set to resign upon turning 75.
Coakley asserted the necessity of humane treatment for all people, regardless of documentation status, and stressed that security and dignity are not mutually exclusive.
