Stories
California Catholic Bishop Argues Against ‘Indiscriminate Nature’ of ICE Raids
Increased ICE raids have rattled Central California residents impacting both school attendance and worker participation. Bishop Joseph V. Brennan, from the diocese of Fresno pushed back against the raids.
William O’Neill S.J., director of immigration ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics argued that the Church has never advocated for open borders.
“I’d say that’s a primary misunderstanding,” O’Neill said. “The recognition that the state, by its very nature, has a right to control its borders has always been a part of Catholic social teaching.”
O’Neill noted that the church strives to find a middle ground, “to have a safe and legal pathway [to stay] in accordance with international law.”
Fr. Bill O'Neill, director of immigration ethics, quoted by the Los Angeles Times.