Bishops warn of climate of fear and criticise Trump's migration policy

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued an extraordinary message strongly criticising President Donald Trump's immigration policy. They said they were concerned about the climate of fear and anxiety created by the heavy-handed enforcement of immigration law, particularly crackdowns near churches, hospitals and schools.

According to the bishops, this is a reckless approach that leads to mass deportations, undermines the dignity of migrants, and undermines values that should be protected even within the Church's teachings.

They also expressed concern about the arbitrary revocation of the legal status of some migrants and the poor conditions in detention centres. Nevertheless, they stressed that they recognised the right of states to control their borders, but called for a just and humane system.

Their appeal comes as the first such message from the bishops in twelve years and also follows earlier calls from Pope Leo XIV for deeper reflection on the treatment of migrants.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to the message.

(reuters, max)