The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a rare statement Wednesday condemning President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, while launching an initiative to provide aid and solidarity to immigrants.
“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the statement read. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.”
The letter, which doesn’t explicitly name Trump but details several of his administration’s policies, passed almost unanimously at the bishops’ annual conference in Baltimore with a final vote of 216 votes in favor, 5 votes against and 3 abstentions.