Archbishop Gomez released column today calling for new conversation on immigration

In his weekly column to the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in Angelus, Archbishop José H. Gomez addressed the current immigration climate locally and across the nation calling for a new national conversation about immigration and offered some starting proposals based on the principles of Catholic social teaching.

Archbishop Gomez noted in the column that the latest federal actions are causing panic and disruption in the daily lives of families in our communities causing them to stay home and live behind locked doors.

“…the current administration has offered no immigration policy beyond the stated goal of deporting thousands of people each day,” wrote Archbishop Gomez. “This is not policy, it is punishment, and it can only result in cruel and arbitrary outcomes. Already we are hearing stories of innocent fathers and mothers being wrongly deported, with no recourse to appeal.”

Archbishop Gomez wrote that the last reform of U.S. immigration laws took place in 1986 citing that it isn’t fair to punish ordinary working men and women for 40 years of neglect by political and business leaders.

“It is time for a new national conversation about immigration, one that is realistic and makes necessary moral and practical distinctions about those in our country illegally,” wrote the Archbishop. “…most importantly, we should find a way to offer legal status to those who have been in our country for many years, beginning with the Dreamers.”

For the full column please visit, https://angelusnews.com/voices/ice-raids-immigration-conversation/.

For more information on the immigration policies and programs of the Archdiocese visit https://lacatholics.org/immigration/.

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