U.S. bishops condemn both dehumanization of migrants and vilification of law enforcement following recent deaths

In the wake of several immigration enforcement encounters that resulted in deaths, two U.S. bishops this week called for a greater respect for the dignity of migrants while also denouncing the vilification of the officers entrusted with enforcement of U.S. immigration law.

“Acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of any person or group of people should never be normalized in our society,” Bishop Daniel Garcia and Bishop Brendan Cahill wrote in a July 20 pastoral reflection published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “The dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, is one such example of this; the vilification of law enforcement officers is yet another.” 

The statement comes days after two deadly altercations involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 

FOX 26 Houston reported that an ICE agent shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, in Houston July 7. ICE alleged Salgado Araujo “did not have legal permission to be in the United States, rammed an ICE vehicle, ignored verbal commands and attempted to run over an officer,” FOX 26 reported, citing a DHS statement. 

A July 17 Associated Press report noted that “the most recent statement from the U.S attorney’s office, however, didn’t mention any collision between Salgado Araujo’s van and a law enforcement vehicle.” The newer statement “also didn’t explicitly say that the officer feared for his life. There are no reported injuries for the officers involved.” 

In addition, witnesses who were with Araujo at the time of the confrontation have disputed the claim that he weaponized his vehicle.

Days after Araujo’s death, an ICE officer on July 13 shot and killed Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 26, in Biddeford, Maine, FOX 4 KC reported. According to immigration advocates, Durán Guerrero was not the subject of the operation, possessed work authorization, and had a Social Security number. An investigation into the deadly incident is underway.

“As Catholics,” the bishops said in the July 20 statement, “we believe that all persons are created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end. This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Bishop Garcia is chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, and Bishop Cahill is chairman of its Committee on Migration.

As Zeale News previously reported, the USCCB issued a special pastoral message last November calling for immigration reform and expressing concern about rhetoric surrounding immigrants and their treatment nationwide. In their latest reflection, Bishop Garcia and Bishop Cahill cited the November message and said racial profiling violates human dignity and harms families and communities by “fostering fear, eroding trust, and increasing the risk of unjust and even tragic outcomes.”

“Our pastoral concerns are distinct from what the civil law itself may permit,” they added. 

At the same time, the bishops denounced the vilification of law enforcement officers and affirmed the government’s authority to enforce immigration laws.

“We continue to affirm the legitimate role of civil authorities to implement the law in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights, including the rights to life and due process,” the bishops said. “The power of the state must always be exercised within the limits of the moral law.”

Calling for “accountability, transparency, and justice,” the bishops said meaningful reforms must be made to the nation’s immigration system.

They concluded by offering prayers for those killed, together with their families, the nation, and those entrusted with public service. 

“We pray,” the bishops wrote, “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.”