Official message approved by 216 votes denounces a climate of fear among immigrants and states that human dignity does not depend on documentation; rare text sparks friction between Church and US immigration policy
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a special message on immigration — a type of document that is almost never issued. The text was approved significantly: 216 votes in favor, 5 against and 3 abstentions, during the November 2025 assembly. According to the USCCB itself, this is only the second message of this type in more than ten years, which shows the seriousness of the issue for the bishops.
The statement states that Catholic leaders feel “compelled to raise our voices” given the current state of immigration policies and the “environment of fear” experienced by immigrants across the country. They state explicit opposition to “indiscriminate mass deportation,” highlighting concerns about immigration operations near schools, churches, hospitals and other sensitive areas.
The bishops also lament the “vilification” of immigrants in the public debate and reaffirm a central principle of the Church’s social doctrine: human dignity does not depend on immigration status or citizenship. The message uses clear and direct expressions:
- “We are against the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”
- “We are saddened by the state of the contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants.”
- “Human dignity does not depend on citizenship or immigration status.”
The bishops also express concern about reports that some families are afraid to seek basic services, go to school or even participate in religious activities due to fear of migration operations.
Why the statement caught attention:
- Rarity: Special messages are extremely uncommon; the last one was in 2013,
- Unity: The almost unanimous vote demonstrates the bishops’ internal alignment on the gravity of the situation.
- Political context: Even without directly mentioning Donald Trump’s name, the text comes amid the administration’s tightening of immigration policies, which naturally increases the political weight of the bishops’ words.
- Pastoral impact: The Catholic Church is one of the institutions that most serves immigrants — and bishops report noticing an increase in fear and vulnerability in parishes.
The bishops do not present specific legal proposals, but call for:
- Humane and proportional application of migration law;
- Protection of family units;
- Respect sensitive places (schools, hospitals, religious temples);
- Fair immigration reform, in line with the Catholic tradition of welcoming foreigners.
Although it is not a partisan document, the message has inevitable repercussions:
- Creates tension between Church social teaching and federal immigration policies.
- Strengthens the role of bishops as defenders of immigrants, especially in dioceses with a large Latin American presence.
- It can influence the perception of Catholic faithful about the treatment given to immigrants by the government.
- It places the USCCB as an active voice in the public debate on deportations and migration operations.
The U.S. bishops, traditionally cautious about speaking out on federal policies, have decided to issue a rare, hard-hitting document based on pastoral and humanitarian concerns. The message directly criticizes the logic of “mass deportations”, denounces practices that generate widespread fear and reaffirms that human dignity is a non-negotiable principle — regardless of immigration status.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
