U.S. Bishops Daniel E. García and Brendan J. Cahill have issued a powerful call for accountability, transparency, and justice after several migrants died during recent immigration enforcement operations. In a joint pastoral reflection, the prelates, who lead key committees within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), lamented these tragic events and urged meaningful reforms to the immigration system.
The bishops specifically referenced the deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araújo, a Mexican national shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Houston on July 7, and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national killed by a federal agent in Maine on July 13. In both cases, the U.S. government maintains the agents acted in self-defense.
“This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” the bishops wrote, emphasizing that Catholics grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end.
The pastoral reflection also echoes previous USCCB concerns about a “climate of fear and anxiety” among communities regarding profiling and immigration enforcement. The bishops warned that racial profiling not only violates God-given dignity but also inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities by fostering fear and increasing the risk of tragic outcomes. They stressed that acts which diminish or disregard the dignity of any person should never be normalized in society.
Calling for meaningful reforms, the bishops stated, “To that end, we call for accountability, transparency, and justice, which require that meaningful reforms be made to our immigration system.” They also urged the dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of legal status, and the vilification of law enforcement officers to end.
The tragedy extends beyond these incidents. A recent report by Human Rights Watch revealed that 52 people have died in ICE custody during the Trump administration, citing poor detention conditions and lack of adequate medical care. Additionally, a Venezuelan detainee, Jesús Manuel Arias-Silva, died on July 13 while being transferred between facilities in Georgia.
The bishops concluded with a prayer for the souls of those killed and their families, for the nation, and for all those entrusted with public service. They prayed for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric, racial prejudice, and violence, and for a renewed commitment to recognizing the inherent dignity of every person as a child of God.
This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
