During a recent gathering in the hub of the United States, voices from the Catholic community and groups committed to aiding immigrants, including the recently appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, contended with the task of delivering a potent moral diatribe on the inherent worthiness of migrants in these politically turbulent times. The meeting in question, sponsored by the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and the New York-based Center for Migration Studies, took place on March 24 and functioned as a platform to explore the challenges and potential shaping migration policies viewed through the lens of Catholic doctrines.
Crucial points of discussion were the interference in financing for activities carried out alongside the federal government and skepticism surrounding the church’s commitment to the cause, including doubts expressed by some officials from the Trump administration. McElroy, who had recently assumed his role as the archbishop of Washington, used his dialogue to address proposals by certain officials for large-scale deportations and a halt to operations of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
McElroy asserted that we must unequivocally declare that halting the disbursement of funds from the Agency for International Development dedicated to humanitarian aid equates to the theft of much-needed resources from the most vulnerable and destitute segments of our global society. In his words, this act cannot be justified through any interpretation of Catholic doctrines.
As he elucidated, those engaged in providing aid to refugees and migrants are fundamentally contributing to a larger cause of helping humanity in its times of adversity. He emphasized that it is an obligation we hold as believers and as a nation to allocate no less than 1% of our national budget to cater to the dire humanitarian requirements of the world’s most needy.
Further, he stated that scrapping the crucial, albeit scant, assistance our government provides for the dire necessities of health, vaccines, clinics, and food services across the globe is starkly at odds with our obligations as followers of Jesus Christ. He observed that terminations of such lifelines to the needy constitute an assault on our living commitment to Christian values.
McElroy did not shy away from voicing his stern disapproval of the notion of mass deportations. However, he pointed out that sincere strategies aimed at curbing irregular immigration could coincide with Catholic principles. In a period where the nationwide objective is the large-scale deportation of undocumented individuals, causing fear and anxiety among them and their loved ones, he argued this fear is intentionally designed to encourage deportations.
Furthermore, McElroy proposed that a fair number of individuals oppose immigration based on their belief that the nation’s borders should be protected. This viewpoint, he affirmed, could align with Catholic teaching. Indeed, the Catholic perspective on immigration strikes a balance among three interconnected tenets – the right of individuals to migrate to better their lives and those of their dependents, a nation’s right to regulate and control immigration across its borders, and the duty of a nation to govern its borders with justice and compassion.
Many individuals rallying for heightened security at our borders argue from a stance that demands more secure borders and the exclusion of undocumented individuals guilty of committing severe crimes. These concerns, according to McElroy, are valid. As he remarked, while discussing this issue, we must not oversimplify by grouping everyone in the same category. However, we should always remember that many constructs supporting the mission to strip undocumented immigrants of their rights and human dignity are born out of the darkest aspects of our history.
In his discussion on immigration, McElroy presented two potential routes for the United States. According to him, the first route, which would align with Catholic principles, involves amending our laws to ensure fair treatment of all individuals at our borders, bolster the security, and encourage a lenient asylum and refugee policy. This pathway represents one way the nation can restore order, in McElroy’s view.
Ultimately, McElroy asserts that these represent the two choices the nation faces. The path we choose will invariably shape the future of immigration in the country, reflecting our commitment, or lack thereof, to justice, compassion, and human dignity.
The post Cardinal McElroy Advocates for Migrants Amid Political Turbulence appeared first on Real News Now.
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