Immigration is a moral issue, not merely a political one

Intermountain Catholic

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The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City

Whenever the Catholic Church takes a public stand on a seemingly political issue, such as immigration, some individuals may ask, "Why is a church involved in a political debate?" Thomas Jefferson’s concept of separation of church and state does not mean that churches have no place in state affairs. In fact, both the Utah and United States’ constitutions guarantee churches, among others, the right to speak on matters of moral and public concern.

Immigration is one of the matters the Catholic Church is compelled to speak on, given its understanding of the right to migrate. Both the Old and New testaments are replete with reminders to treat the immigrant with compassion and care, "for you were aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt." (Dt 10:19). These many lessons and reminders have been reiterated over time through several papal encyclicals.

For example, Pope Pius XII wrote in "Exsul Familia" that the right to human dignity includes a right to migrate to attain that life. The right is not absolute; a state also has a right to maintain its borders and protect the public health. But a nation may not, from a moral perspective, deny access to the needy from other nations without justifiable reason.

Pope John XXIII expanded on this concept in "Pacem in Terris." He contended that, where people seek to emigrate for just reasons, a nation is obliged to allow immigration to promote the universal good when possible. In other words, where people living in abject poverty seek access to a wealthy nation, the nation is obligated to assist the immigrant, unless immigration presents a true threat to the nation. Pope John Paul II reminded America, in particular, that the solution to undocumented immigration concerns is to address the conditions in the home country that lead people to seek out opportunities far from home.

From the Gospels and the encyclicals, the Church has developed five principles to guide its work on immigration issues: 1) people have the right to live in dignity in their own countries. Thus, the Church promotes humanitarian aid in underdeveloped nations; 2) people have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families. Thus, the Church supports immigration reform at the national level to allow individuals and families to achieve full lives of dignity; 3) sovereign nations have the right to control their borders. The Church, therefore, supports efforts to ensure that immigrants have adequate legal options for emigrating; 4) refugees and asylum seekers should be protected; and 5) all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of immigration status.

In 2003, the Catholic bishops of Mexico and the U.S. applied these principles in a Pastoral Letter titled Strangers No Longer. The bishops noted the reality that migration between Mexico and the U.S. is mutually beneficial. They went on to challenge "inconsistent and divergent policies" in both countries that hinder the relationship and tend to "address only the symptoms of the migration phenomenon and not its root causes." (Italics added.)

With this in mind, the bishops called on the neighboring countries to think more globally and "harmonize policies on the movement of people, particularly in a way that respects the human dignity of the migrant and recognizes the social consequences of globalization."

So, why is the Catholic Church involved in immigration policy matters? Because, as a universal Church, we support the rights of individuals and families to emigrate to escape from poverty, political strife, or other life and dignity-threatening circumstances. We support immigration policies that maximize the opportunities for immigrants to become full participants in our nation and promote the human dignity of immigrants. And we support changes at the federal level, which has full authority over immigration matters. As Catholics, we must engage in the immigration debate and advocate for changes in policy that support our beliefs and improve the lives of individuals across the street and around the globe.