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Iowa Catholic bishops express ‘solidarity’ with migrants in ‘stressful time’
Letter comes as Trump prepares for mass deportation of immigrants
Nov. 20, 2024 3:04 pm, Updated: Nov. 21, 2024 8:01 am
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DES MOINES — In an open letter to migrants, Iowa’s Catholic bishops this week expressed “solidarity” and pledged to “advocate for your just treatment and dignity within the framework of the law.”
The letter comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office for a second term, during which he has pledged to declare a national emergency and conduct a mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants and, he has suggested, possibly others as well.
The letter, published Tuesday and addressed to “our dear migrant brothers and sisters in Christ,” was signed by Iowa’s four Catholic bishops: the Rev. Thomas Zinkula of Dubuque, the Rev. Dennis Walsh of Davenport, the Rev. R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City, and the Rev. William Joensen of Des Moines.
“We write to you with hearts full of compassion and a deep desire to express our solidarity with you during this stressful time,” the letter says. “We recognize the immense challenges you face as migrants, and we want to assure you that you are not alone.”
Trump has pledged to start the deportation of millions of immigrants on the first day of his presidency. He will be sworn into office on Jan. 20. This week, Trump on social media confirmed his plan to declare a national emergency and use the U.S. military to assist in the deportations.
“On Day One, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out,” Trump said during a campaign rally in New York just before the election.
There are roughly 11 million migrants living in the United States without legal status, according to the Pew Research Center. There were about 37,000 undocumented immigrants in Iowa as of 2019, according to estimates from the Migration Policy Institute.
In their letter, Iowa’s Catholic bishops pledge to advocate for and serve migrants — with some qualifiers.
“As your bishops, we will advocate for your just treatment and dignity within the framework of the law,” the letter says. “The Church will accompany and serve you at this time as much as we are able.”
The letter also quotes Pope Francis, who the bishops describe as “a tireless advocate for those who find themselves in situations like yours.”
“‘Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity. They are children, women, and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, who share a legitimate desire for knowing and having, but above all for being more,’” the letter says, quoting the pope.
The bishops’ letter says Scripture provides “countless examples of God's love for the stranger and the sojourner.”
“These words remind us that we are all pilgrims on this earth and will all stand before Jesus at our final judgment and be held accountable for how we have treated others, especially those most in need,” the letter says.
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com
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