In a Feb. 13 statement, a coalition of 44 Catholic Democratic members of Congress invoked principles of Catholic social teaching to criticize efforts to secure the borders of the U.S.
The signatories argued in their “Statements of Principles on Immigration” that current practices by federal immigration agencies fall short of the Church’s moral standards on human dignity and the common good.
“As Catholic Democrats in Congress, we are guided by a living Catholic tradition that affirms the dignity of every human life, advances the common good, and demands that we protect the most vulnerable in our society through a strong and compassionate safety net,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, who led the effort, wrote in the opening.
The statement comes weeks after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., issued a Feb. 3 defense of border security grounded in Scripture. Johnson argued that the Bible distinguishes between an individual’s moral obligation to show personal charity toward migrants and the state’s responsibility to maintain order, enforce laws, and protect the innocent, Zeale News previously reported.
DeLauro, who is 82 years old and was first elected to Congress in 1990, wrote that the Democratic lawmakers felt “called in solidarity to stand with immigrants — especially those who are poor, marginalized, or fleeing hardship — and to ensure they are treated with dignity, justice, and compassion.”
She later shared the report on X, saying that her “Catholic faith has guided me for my entire life, and immigration is no exception.”
My Catholic faith has guided me for my entire life, and immigration is no exception. I was proud to lead 43 Democratic Catholic members of Congress to affirm that immigration enforcement is not a license for cruelty, and that we must be led by both justice and mercy.…
— Rosa DeLauro (@rosadelauro) February 13, 2026
The signatories cited principles they said are rooted in Catholic social teaching, including the right of individuals to migrate to sustain their lives and families. They also argued that “while regulating borders is consistent with Catholic social teaching,” it must be “governed by justice and mercy” and “is never a license for cruelty, indifference, or dehumanization.”
“Too often, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have failed this moral standard,” the document stated. “Their actions have separated families, removed law abiding individuals from our communities, and tragically, contributed to the deaths of detained migrants and citizens like Renee Good and Alex Pretti.”
The group cited Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi Te,” in which the Holy Father wrote that the Church “accompanies those who are walking” and recognizes Christ in “every rejected migrant.” They also referenced Pope Francis’ 2019 call that the Church’s “response to the challenges posed by contemporary migration can be summed up in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote, and integrate.”
The Democratic lawmakers concluded by urging the Trump administration to “embrace these same moral imperatives — ensuring that immigration policies reflect our nation’s legal obligations, uphold human dignity, and honor America’s longstanding commitment to justice and mercy.”
“As leaders in Congress negotiate reforms to ICE and CBP, we must bear the Church’s teachings in mind to ensure we are supporting our immigrant brothers and sisters,” they said. “We urge our fellow Catholics to use their voice to share views with their family, friends, and neighbors.”
Several prominent Democrats signed the document, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Reps. Richard Neal, D-Mass., Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., and James McGovern, D-Mass.
More than half of the signatories also signed a June 2023 statement that sought to invoke Church teaching in defense of a so-called “right” to abortion. As CatholicVote previously reported, about 30 Catholic Democrats signed the statement, which was released on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Dobbs vs. Jackson, which overturned Roe vs. Wade.
The 2023 pro-abortion letter was also written by DeLauro. DeLauro claimed that she and her co-signers’ defense of abortion was “compelled” by the “fundamental tenets” of their Catholic faith.
The pro-abortion declaration drew a sharp rebuke from the U.S. bishops, who, days later, said that Congressional lawmakers “who recently invoked teachings of the Catholic faith itself as justifying abortion or supporting a supposed right to abortion grievously distort the faith.”
In November 2025, CatholicVote released a report on immigration designed to help Catholics navigate Church teaching, U.S. policy, and the moral debates surrounding border enforcement.
“Properly speaking, there is no such thing as an official ‘Catholic position’ on the practical details of immigration policy,” the report states. “Despite what some Church leaders in America have indicated, a faithful Catholic can support strong and humane immigration law enforcement — by means such as physical barriers, detention, and deportation — without violating the teaching of the Church.”