The Catholic bishops of the United States debate abortion and immigration, against the backdrop of Donald Trump's new administration. The Church prioritizes the end of abortion while being interested in the fair treatment of migrants.
As the U.S. bishops gather for their annual fall meeting this week in Baltimore, the specter of President-elect Donald Trump's resounding victory will loom over the deliberations.
The incoming Trump administration brings promises and challenges to the major policy concerns of American Catholic leaders, including abortion and immigration.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), congratulated Trump on his victory in a statement, while emphasizing that the Church “is not aligned with any political party.” .
Catholic teaching prioritizes both the end of abortion and humanitarian care for migrants. In Trump, as for many American Christians, Catholics find an imperfect leader.
His anti-abortion rhetoric has been varied. Although Trump has taken credit for ending the federal right to abortion, he has wavered on the idea of a national ban and said pro-abortion policies should be left to the states to decide.
As for immigration, it offers a less encouraging image for Catholic prelates. Trump has campaigned three times on tough immigration policies and has promised to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, who chairs the U.S. bishops' immigration committee, said, “We are very, very concerned about the impact of all of this,” referring to Trump's anticipated immigration measures.
Catholic and religious organizations have long shouldered the lion's share of care for migrants on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. As for migrants from his border diocese fleeing violence or facing deportation, Seitz said, “we learn of the fear they live with every day.”
Seitz noted that the Church calls for a legal and orderly immigration system in which migrants are vetted and “those fleeing untenable situations can enter and those needed to work in our country can receive visas.”
Seitz will present this week to his fellow bishops a plan to educate people in parishes about the plight of migrants.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, who also serves on the bishops' immigration committee, expressed a tone of “cautious optimism” about a second Trump term, believing that the reality of migrants' contributions to the U.S. economy will matter more than the “hyperbole” about mass deportations.
“If you want to achieve 'the best economy ever,' you're going to have to work on some kind of fix on immigration issues,” said Wenski, who has also worked closely with migrant and refugee communities.
On abortion and other issues, Wenski commented that President Joe Biden's administration has at times caused “indigestion” for people of faith due to policy decisions that appear to intrude on religious freedom.
Wenski was relieved that Florida's abortion rights amendment failed, garnering 57% support when it needed 60% to prevail. But he predicted “a long road ahead in promoting a culture of life.”
The bishops emphasize in their electoral orientation that the fight against abortion is “our absolute priority.”