CV NEWS FEED // In a pastoral letter issued on Jan. 31, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, emphasized that implementing an immigration policy should not create a conflict between human dignity and the rule of law.
Bishop Burbidge opened his pastoral letter by offering “pastoral encouragement” to President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Congressional leaders, other elected officials, and all Catholics and people of goodwill, urging them “to consider the common good of our country with the light of faith.”
The Bishop underscored later in the letter that “the rule of law is to defend and promote the common good,” and that “comprehensive immigration reform need not harm the dignity of any person.”
“Even when immigration reform includes repatriation of those persons who have committed violent crimes, or who otherwise violate the terms of a right to remain, human dignity can be respected,” he wrote. “We must not presume a conflict between human dignity and the rule of law.”
Bishop Burbidge also acknowledged the reality of crime within some immigrant populations. “Sadly, some of those who have entered our country, legally or illegally, have committed serious crimes,” he wrote. “There must be consequences for such behavior, as there is no place for violence, trafficking, or gang activity in our society. Our laws exist to safeguard the good of all, and they must be respected.”
Quoting other Catholic bishops who have recently addressed immigration in response to federal deportation raids, Bishop Burbidge affirmed their shared position “that every country has the right and the responsibility ‘to promote public order, safety, and security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigration.'”
“All my brother bishops agree with this, and together with Pope Francis, we affirm that every migrant is ‘a child of God,’” Bishop Burbidge added.
Bishop Burbidge highlighted the diverse immigrant communities that enrich the Church in Northern Virginia and reiterated the Church’s longstanding principles: “the rights of persons to the integrity and unity of their families irrespective of where they settle,” and “the right of all to the spiritual care afforded by the sacraments.”
He reminded Catholics of their moral duty: “We are also obligated, as believers in Jesus Christ, to serve those who come to us for assistance—no matter who they are.”
“For these reasons, I plead with those responsible for law enforcement to refrain from entering our sacred spaces unless absolutely and unequivocally necessary to ensure the safety of all persons,” he urged.
He concluded with a firm declaration of the Church’s position: “We are a Church that stands for justice, not against the enforcement of law, but for its application with mercy and understanding for the good of all persons and our country.”