---
title: "US Catholic bishops condemn Trump administration's immigration enforcement"
description: "WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a rare condemnation of US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and advocated for \"meaningful immigration reform.\""
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-14-us-catholic-bishops-condemn-trump-administrations-immigration-enforcement/"
published: "2025-11-14T05:06:34"
updated: "2025-11-14T05:06:35"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 232
---

# US Catholic bishops condemn Trump administration's immigration enforcement

> WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a rare condemnation of US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and advocated for "meaningful immigration reform."

By Reuters · Published 14 November 2025, 07:06 SAST · Updated 14 November 2025, 07:06 SAST

## Key points
- In a rare missive, bishops are ringing alarm bells over the Trump administration's immigration tactics, which have turned sacred spaces into playgrounds for federal agents and left migrants in a state of fear, all while calling for a little compassion and a lot more humanity.
- U.S. bishops issue rare message condemning threats to houses of worship and schools amid heightened immigration enforcement.
- The Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies have rescinded protections for sensitive locations, increasing arrests.
- Bishops express concern over the climate of fear surrounding immigration profiling and oppose mass deportations.
- They call for a just immigration system while acknowledging nations' responsibilities to regulate borders.

## Content

By Jasper Ward

"We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools," the bishops said in a special message, the first of its kind in 12 years.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration efforts, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The message echoes similar critiques made by [Pope Leo](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3WG34Q&linkedFromStory=true), who has called for "deep reflection" about the way migrants are being treated in the U.S. under Trump.

The Trump administration has advanced an [aggressive immigration agenda](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL6N3PN0OK&linkedFromStory=true) since taking office earlier this year. Trump has [rescinded](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AS0N3O6048&linkedFromStory=true) policy that limited immigration arrests near sensitive locations, including churches, hospitals and schools, and deployed federal agents across the U.S. to ramp up such arrests.

In their message, the bishops expressed concern about what they described as "a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling" and immigration enforcement. They said they were saddened by the debate and vilification of migrants, and opposed "the indiscriminate mass deportation of people."

The bishops also raised concerns about conditions in detention centers, and what they called the arbitrary removal of legal status of some migrants.

"We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good," the bishops said.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Stephen Coates)