At their annual gathering in Baltimore this week, U.S. Catholic bishops approved a rare pastoral message urging compassion for immigrants and calling for comprehensive reform of the nation’s immigration system. It marks the first time in more than a decade that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued such a statement.
Bishops Highlight Rising Fear in Immigrant Communities
In the message, church leaders expressed deep concern about the growing anxiety, profiling, and fear of deportation affecting immigrant families across the country. They also pledged to continue advocating for dignified treatment in detention centers and greater access to pastoral care for those held in custody.
“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops wrote. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants.”
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Portland Archbishop Reaffirms Support
Portland Archbishop Alexander K. Sample echoed this national message in his own Nov. 8 statement, issued in both English and Spanish. He emphasized that human dignity is granted by God, not by legal status or government approval.
“It does not matter whether some of our brothers and sisters have proper documentation or not,” Sample wrote. “They are our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ and have a human dignity that comes not from government, but from our loving God.”
Sample said he has become increasingly troubled by rising fear within Oregon’s Hispanic Catholic community, which he attributes partly to heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, including operations near parish locations.
Sample Takes New Leadership Role
During the Baltimore meeting, Archbishop Sample was also elected chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty. The committee works to defend religious freedom nationwide through public teaching, policy guidance, and monitoring of potential threats to religious expression.
His new role positions him as a key national voice on issues ranging from religious rights in public life to federal policy debates affecting faith communities.
Responses From Other Oregon Dioceses
As of Thursday, the Diocese of Baker had not released a statement in response to the bishops’ renewed message on immigration. Portland’s archdiocese, meanwhile, continues to emphasize pastoral outreach and support for immigrant families facing uncertainty.
