From Paul Welch, Office of Social Action Ministry

From Paul Welch, Office of Social Action Ministry

Pope Francis’ letter to US Bishops on US  immigration policy:

“ the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of

extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the

environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and

places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness,” Bishop Lucia’s Pastoral letter emphasized Luke 18-22: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[f] Recently 238 Venezuelans were sent to an infamous Salvadoran prison by the current administration without due process guaranteed by our Constitution. The administration claims the 238 immigrants were members of El Tren de Argua criminal gang. News reports give opposing evidence. At least one tattoo represented soccer rather

than gang affiliation. Not allowing due process meant none of the 238 could argue their case. World War II was the last time such an action was invoked.  Japanese citizens and immigrants were banished to concentration camps in the US interior. This action was later repudiated and some compensation was given to affected Japanese.