The Roman Catholic Bishops of the US yesterday urged President-Elect, Donald Trump, to use humane policies with regard to refugees and immigrants, as church leaders attempt to start navigating what is likely to be a complicated association with his new administration.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops met a few days after the US election and reiterated their dedication to continuing to serve people fleeing conflict and violence, calling it part of their identity. The Bishops said that they were ready to work with the new administration to keep ensuring that refugees and immigrants receive a humane welcome without the US sacrificing either its core values or security. The Bishops called welcoming and protecting neighbors, especially refugees, an integral part of their mission.
During the Presidential campaign, Trump declared that he intended to build a wall on the border between the US and Mexico and deport the entirety of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the US. In a CBS interview on Sunday, he appeared to back down from the latter, claiming his focus would be on the deportation of a couple of million undocumented immigrants with criminal records.
Over 2.5 million people have been deported since the Obama administration took office in 2009, the Department of Homeland Security states. Archbishop, Joseph Kurtz, acknowledged that there could be common ground with the new President on other issues, given that Trump has pledged to protect religious liberty and appoint justices to the Supreme Court who are against abortion.