Vice- President JD Vance accused the US Conference of Catholic Bishops during a Face the Nation interview that their involvement in humanitarian aid toward immigrants is fueled by financial gain. He further stated that the US Bishops have not been good partners in common sense immigration enforcement.
I am not sure where to begin critiquing these points. The worst is that he makes these statements flourishing them with indications that he is a devout Catholic. He mentions that he is heartbroken at the recent bishop’s statement, where the bishops point out that last week’s executive orders have profound effects in the immigrant community.
Firstly, the Catholic Church does not benefit financially from immigrants. The only financial gain may be the regular offertory given on Sunday by immigrant parishioners, which remains at the local level. Catholic agencies, such as Catholic Charities, do receive money from the government to resettle refugees in the United States. These resettled refuges are not “illegal immigrants” as the Vice President wrongly states. They have gone through the asylum process, and all sorts of agencies assist them to incorporate into US society. If 100 million dollars have been given, this money has not bankrolled the Catholic Church, but many agencies spread throughout the country that work directly with refugees. It has not paid electric bills, lawsuits or evangelization initiatives.
The Vice President further stated that the Catholic Bishops have not been good partners in common sense immigration enforcement. I’ve been a priest for sixteen years, and for those sixteen years the Catholic Church has repeated over and over again the same immigration reform plan. You can view it here. In the meantime, governments have changed, immigration has been used to divide us along partisan lines, and absolutely nothing changes. Individual lives are crushed due to the lack of action. If anyone has not been a good partner, it has been the federal government which has not enacted much needed reforms so that our immigration system meets the current needs of our country.
Since Mr. Vance is a devout Catholic, he should know that the Catholic Church acknowledges the dignity of human life from birth to natural death. He should know this – he spoke at the recent March for Life in Washington DC. The Catholic Church has been in the forefront of humanitarian assistance not for money, but to advance the dignity of human persons, including immigrants. His statement demonstrates either tremendous ignorance or ill will toward the bishops.
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