Chicago ICE crackdown: Cardinal Blase Cupich calls Donald Trump administration's immigration tactics unnecessary, intolerable
Cardinal Blase Cupich opened up about his feelings about the immigration crackdown happening in Chicago on Monday.
The archbishop of Chicago expanded on what Pope Leo XIV said last week regarding immigrants in America.
For the first time since the Trump administration began its immigration enforcement operation "Midway Blitz" in September, Cupich provided extensive remarks about the issue.
Back in Chicago after a trip to Rome last week, Cupich said it is important for the church to have a moral and ethical voice when it comes to the immigration issue. He says the safety of the United States should not come as the expense of violating human dignity.
"Their dignity as parents must be taken into account before they are ripped away in full sight from their children, who are now citizens, and hauled away as criminals," Cupich said.
Cupich called the administration's aggressive immigration tactics unnecessary and intolerable. He says those tactics are intended to terrorize.
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"Our pastors are telling us attendance at mass, particularly in Latino communities, is down because people are afraid to come out. That is very sad. They are also afraid to grocery stores, get medical help," Cupich said.
The archbishop of Chicago's strong words about the current situation follows Pope Leo urging U.S. Catholic bishops to be more vocal and compassionate in their support of immigrants. Cupich says the dignity of the 11 million undocumented people living in America must begin by respecting their work and contributions to the economy.
"For over many decades, we as a nation have sent the clear message that we want and need their work in jobs no one else wants to take," Cupich said.
Before a full audience at the Union League club on Monday, Cupich said dignity is also violated when, he says, elected officials create false narratives that most of the undocumented are a danger to the community.
Cupich says because Chicago is a large Archdiocese, it is important for the church to have moral voice in politics, but he says the church should not be partisan.
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