Pope Leo calls out 'extremely disrespectful' treatment of migrants in the U.S.

""We have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have. If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts. There's a system of justice,""

""when people have lived good livesmany of them for 10, 15, 20 yearstreating them in a way that is, to say the least, extremely disrespectful, and with instances of violence, is troubling.""

""We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people," the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said. "We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.""

Migrants in the United States have been subjected to violent and extremely disrespectful treatment that undermines human dignity. Humane treatment and respect for dignity should guide responses to immigration, while illegal status should be addressed through courts and the justice system. Nations retain the right to determine who enters, how, and when. Long-term residents who have lived productive lives for many years deserve respectful treatment and protection from violence. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opposes indiscriminate mass deportation and calls for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence. Government figures report over 527,000 deportations since January, and officials assert border enforcement saves lives.

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