Two bishops of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have called for meaningful immigration reform and condemned “dehumanizing rhetoric” directed towards both immigrants and law enforcement officers.
In a pastoral reflection published on July 20, Bishop Daniel Garcia of Austin, Texas, and Bishop Brendan Cahill of Victoria, Texas, wrote: “As Catholics, we believe that all persons are created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end. This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Garcia is chairman of the USCCB's Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, while Cahill chairs the Committee on Migration.
The reflection follows the deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, in Houston, Texas, on July 7, and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 26, in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13. Both men were shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and their deaths are being investigated.
The bishops noted that, in November 2025, the USCCB condemned racial profiling and the climate of anxiety surrounding immigration enforcement.
“Racial profiling in particular not only violates God-given dignity, but also inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities by fostering fear, eroding trust, and increasing the risk of unjust and even tragic outcomes,” they wrote, adding: “Our pastoral concerns are distinct from what the civil law itself may permit.”
Garcia and Cahill also warned against the normalisation of “acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of any person or group of people”, saying: “The dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, is one such example of this; the vilification of law enforcement officers is yet another.”
While acknowledging that civil authorities have a “legitimate role” in enforcing the laws of the United States, the bishops said this responsibility must be exercised “in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights, including the rights to life and due process”.
“The power of the state must always be exercised within the limits of the moral law. To this end, we call for accountability, transparency, and justice, which require that meaningful reforms be made to our immigration system,” they wrote.
The bishops concluded by praying for those who had been killed, for their families, for the United States, and “for all those entrusted with the duties of public service”.
“We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric, racial prejudice, and violence and for a renewed commitment to recognizing the inherent dignity of every person as a child of God. We plead for the intercession of Mary, Our Mother, who is the model of perfect faith in times of grief, hardship, and uncertainty.”
