The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has issued the following statement in response to recent reports of inhumane actions on the border:
“Recent media reports present a disturbing account of horrific tragedies occurring along the Rio Grande on the Texas/Mexico border.
These reports stir our hearts again for the plight of our sisters and brothers who are seeking a better life. These mothers, fathers, children, and others are doing what anyone would do to find a better life. They have moved to secure honest work and a safe community. The fact that they were born in a place which could not provide these basic human rights does not give anyone the right to treat them inhumanely.
For decades, the United States’ migration policies have failed to address sufficiently the root causes of migration. They have failed to uphold our country’s principle to welcome all who seek a life free of tyranny.
We have a responsibility, as faithful citizens, to work with our government officials to ensure the dignity of all, an ideal enshrined on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
We ask all people of goodwill to join us in this work, and to join us in praying for our brothers and sisters experiencing the harsh realities of this journey, and for all who encounter them.”
The Texas Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops includes 21 active bishops, who lead approximately 8.5 million Catholics in Texas, approximately 30 percent of the state’s population.
