PITTSBURGH _ Pittsburgh Roman Catholic Bishop David Zubik issued a statement of solidarity with immigrants and refugees on Tuesday morning, urging President Donald Trump and other elected leaders to reject policies built on "fear," open the nation's doors to "good and desperate people," and provide a path to citizenship for immigrants who lack legal status.
Zubik said Catholics must defend immigrants and refugees under the same values that prompted many to rally against abortion at last Friday's annual March for Life in Washington.
"There is too much fear right now," Zubik said. "There is so much fear among immigrants. There is too much fear of immigrants. The first victim of fear is rational thought. The second victim is rational policy."
He continued: "Hasty, thoughtless action hurts people. I know that here in Southwestern Pennsylvania there are immigrants now living in fear. Solid, good people who have already contributed so much to our community. They now fear what will happen next. ...
"To those living in fear, I want you to know that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Church of Pittsburgh, and I support you. You have our prayers and our pledge to stand with you, whether you are of our faith, of a different faith or of no faith at all."
His statement came after days of furor over two executive orders signed by Trump last week. One greatly expanded immigration enforcement and authorized a border wall with Mexico, and another temporarily suspended the nation's refugee resettlement program for 120 days for most countries and indefinitely for war-torn Syria, and it restricted other travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.
While Pittsburgh's Hispanic population is relatively small, a significant number lack legal status, some of them in families in which other members are citizens, prompting fears of family separation if deportations increase.
Immigrants and refugees have multiple Catholic connections. At least two Catholic parishes in the city have regular Spanish Masses, as do some in parishes in nearby counties. The diocese's Catholic Charities agency has long served refugees of many countries and faiths.
Zubik called for reforms to help immigrants who lack legal status to obtain it, and for refugees to find safety here.
"We pray that our president and elected leaders will step back and review our current policies for immigration, as well as proposed reforms," he said. "American policies have been rooted in compassion and justice. We cannot abandon those virtues now. They define us to the world."
He added: "We do have a national responsibility to secure our borders. But our borders do not become more secure by locking out good and desperate people. That engenders only anger and hatred. We will secure our borders when we increase opportunities for legal immigration _ with an equitable path to citizenship for undocumented residents _ and we enforce our laws in ways that honor due process, the sanctity of the human person and the family as the foundation of our communities."
Zubik, himself the grandson of Slovak and Polish immigrants, recalled the rich immigrant heritage of Pittsburgh's Catholic population.
"Immigration has defined us and shaped us as a Church, giving flavor and color, strength and beauty to who we are and what we are as Church," he said.
"We also know, as Catholics, that not so very long ago our very right to live in this country was questioned," he added. "We were described loudly and publicly as potential criminals, lowlifes and poverty-stricken souls interested only in undermining American freedoms. We were hated both for where we came from _ particularly Eastern and Southern Europe _ and the religion we brought with us. Our Catholicism was not just the target of derision and mockery. It was a source of fear."
Citing last week's March for Life, he added: "We so proudly marched last week in defense of human life We must now stand up for those immigrants and refugees who are looking to come to America. Some of them are quite literally fleeing for their lives. They are coming to America with their eyes on the lit torch of Lady Liberty."
Other Catholic voices have also spoken up in recent days.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden's leadership team said in a statement they are "appalled and heartbroken" by Trump's orders.
"While we fully support the responsibility of every government to safeguard its people, we reject every notion or implication that Americans, either at home or abroad, are made safer by barring from our country vulnerable men, women and children who are fleeing hostility, persecution or other conditions that threaten their lives and livelihoods," the sisters said.
Duquesne University President Ken Gormley said in a statement that along with other academic institutions "and those committed to advancing social justice worldwide, we express deep concern regarding this executive order."
He added: "As a Catholic, Spiritan institution with a long history of supporting the needs of the under-served including refugees and immigrants _ not just in Pittsburgh but within our global community _ we support a reasonable approach to immigration that is not based upon fear or hate, does not discriminate and does not cause harm to individuals, families or employers."
