The US Catholic Bishops asked President-elect Trump for humane
immigration policies towards immigrants and refugees. The Bishops made the plea at the start of their annual fall Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting in Baltimore (Maryland), from 14 to November 16th.
The President of the Episcopal Conference, the Archbishop of Louisiana, His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Kurtz, expressed this request in a letter sent to the President-elect in which, first of all, expresses the "will to work together" for the "protection of life" and the "promotion of human dignity".
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops said serving and welcoming people fleeing conflict and violence is part of their identity as Roman Catholics, so "we will continue to promote policies to protect the human dignity of refugees and immigrants, to keep families united, and at the same time to preserve the honor and respect of the laws of this country".
On Friday, November 11, the Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle, who is the President of the Episcopal Commission on Migration of the Episcopal Conference of the United States, His Exc. Mgr. Eusebio Elizondo, had issued a statement calling for a "humane" treatment of immigrants after the victory at Trump's presidential election.
Even His Exc. Mgr. Mark Joseph Seitz, Bishop of El Paso, Texas, had encouraged the population "not to be afraid" because the Church will remain next to its people.