September 6, 2017
Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, issued the following statement in response to the Administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program after six months.
“I join with my fellow bishops from throughout the United States, including the President and Vice President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in denouncing the Administration’s decision to end DACA, which provided protection to over 780,000 young people since its inception in 2012. The young people served by DACA arrived here in the United States as minors and many consider this country their home. Ending this program is a cause for unnecessary fear for these brave young people who now face deportation. As Americans and people of good will, this response by our government is unjust and unacceptable.
“Sacred Scripture says, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me’ (Mark 9:37). This Gospel mandate has guided the Church’s teaching on immigration and is the spiritual foundation of our American tradition of welcoming the stranger among us.
“I echo the words of Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Archbishop José Gomez, who called the Administration’s decision ‘a heartbreaking moment in our history that shows the absence of mercy and good will, and a short-sighted vision for the future. DACA youth are woven into the fabric of our country and of our church, and are, by every social and human measure, American youth.’”
Para leer esta declaración en español, haga clic aquí