The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has made its voice loud and clear on where they stand on the issue of immigration. This month, it issued a guidance composed of six elements of immigration reform that are all grounded in Catholic social teaching generally and the Church’s teaching on migration. I am quoting the most vital parts of the guidance that capture the essence and spirit of the social responsibility of the Church.
Element 1: Enforcement efforts should be targeted, proportional, and humane
The USCCB recognizes that "safeguarding American communities and upholding the rule of law are laudable goals." However, it encourages for a balance between law enforcement and the respect for human life and human dignity by enacting policies that promote the common good. It calls for protecting the least and the last by limiting the use of detention, especially for families, children, pregnant women, the sick, elderly, and disabled. Deportations and other enforcement actions should always be carried out with due regard for families, community ties, and religious liberty interests.
Element 2: Humanitarian protections and due process should be ensured
The bishops again emphasized the promotion of common good by calling for humanitarian protections in whatever setting --from refugee resettlement, asylum, and temporary protected status, to visas for victims of trafficking and abused youth. It concludes that access to humanitarian protections will only endanger those who are most vulnerable and deserving of relief.
Element 3: Longtime residents should have an earned pathway to citizenship
The bishops recognize that longtime residents and other undocumented immigrants are a major driving force to the American economy and the society in particular. Providing a way for them through a legal process not only ensures they remain in the US but also provides stability to communities and keep families together.
Element 4: Family unity should remain a cornerstone of the US system
For me, this is the most important and significant part of the guidance. It says "Catholic teaching maintains that families are the foundation of society, and the success of any civilization hinges on the well-being of its families." Recognizing that the basic purpose of immigration is family unity, immigration reform must ensure that the basic fiber of the country is protected.
Element 5: Legal pathways should be expanded, reliable, and efficient
This element argues that the present legal immigration pathways are "no longer responsive to the social, economic, and geopolitical realities of today. New legal pathways should be created, and backlogs resulting in decades-long wait times should be eliminated."
Element 6: The root causes of forced migration should be addressed
USCCB recognizes that each individual has the right to life and to flourish in his home country. However, "when the conditions for a dignified life are absent, people have the natural right to migrate, and countries have a duty to accommodate that right to the extent possible." Poverty, war, sickness, chaos, disorder, and a host of other factors drive up migration as a way to preserve, sustain and maintain life. The bishops call for meaningful cooperation between the United States and other countries in ensuring that the root causes of migration are addressed.