{"id":29870,"date":"2025-11-18T12:35:43","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/?p=29870"},"modified":"2025-11-18T12:35:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:35:43","slug":"border-czar-tom-homan-goes-up-against-the-catholic-church-over-immigration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/news\/2025\/11\/border-czar-tom-homan-goes-up-against-the-catholic-church-over-immigration","title":{"rendered":"Border Czar Tom Homan Goes Up Against the Catholic Church Over Immigration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Left: Gage Skidmore \/ commons.wikimedia.org | Right: Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Border Czar Tom Homan recently responded to criticism from US Catholic bishops who described current immigration raids as creating \u201ca climate of fear and anxiety.\u201d The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted 216 to 5 in favor of releasing a \u201cSpecial Message<\/a>\u201d \u201caddressing\u00a0their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United States\u201d during their Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore. It is the first time in twelve years that the USCCB has issued such a message. \u201cWe are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants,\u201d the messaged stated, noting immigrants were concerned about dropping their children off at school and that there was a lack of pastoral care at immigration detention centers. \u201cDespite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity,\u201d the message continued.<\/p>\n

The message called on recognizing \u201cthe fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants\u201d in accordance with Catholic teachings. The message also admitted the need for maintaining national borders. \u201cHuman dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together,\u201d the bishops said. The message called on the US to create \u201csafe and legal pathways.\u201d The letter reflected a major theme of the Plenary, as bishops grappled with ways to respond with what they perceived as growing hostilities towards immigrants. Chairman Bishop Mark Seitz announced a national initiative to provide accompaniment to migrants who are at risk of being deported, which has been offered through other dioceses. To date, the US Department of Homeland Security has announced 527,000 deportations this year and another 1.6 million self-deportations.<\/p>\n

Homan, when asked about the statement, pushed back. \u201cThe Catholic Church is wrong. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m a lifelong Catholic. I\u2019m saying it not only as a border czar \u2014 I\u2019ll say it as a Catholic,\u201d he said. \u201cThey need to spend time fixing the Catholic Church, in my opinion.\u201d He criticized the letters call for a legal pathway to citizenship for those in the US illegally. \u201cSo, according to them, the message we should send to the whole world is that if you cross the border illegally, which is a crime, don\u2019t worry about it. If you get ordered removed by a federal judge after due process, don\u2019t worry about us, because there should not be mass deportations. Is that the message you send to the whole world?\u201d Homan pointed to the dangerous situations those crossing the border illegally find themselves in, often engaging members of the cartels to help them cross safely, which can lead to being trafficked. He also highlighted the passing of drugs like fentanyl across the border, which has killed thousands of US citizens. \u201cSecure border saves lives. I wish the Catholic Church would understand that,\u201d he insisted. Homan also appeared to indicate hypocrisy on the part of the Vatican, noting its stringent security measures. \u201cWe have a right to secure our borders, just like they have a right to secure their facility,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can\u2019t enter their facility without getting arrested. The penalties for entering their facility are much worse than ours.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Border Czar Tom Homan recently responded to criticism from US Catholic bishops who described current immigration raids as creating \u201ca climate of fear and anxiety.\u201d The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted 216 to 5 in favor of releasing a \u201cSpecial Message\u201d \u201caddressing\u00a0their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":29873,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nBorder Czar Tom Homan Goes Up Against the Catholic Church Over Immigration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Border czar Tom Homan pushes back after US Catholic bishops condemn immigration raids, sparking a 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