“I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” — Matthew 25:35
July 17, 2026
In January, we affirmed our unwavering commitment to defending the inherent dignity of every human person, especially our poor and vulnerable brothers and sisters. Today, we reiterate that commitment with renewed urgency following, once again, a series of fatal encounters involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and the continued fear experienced by immigrant communities across our nation.
As people of faith, we grieve the deaths of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine; Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas; and all those whose lives have been lost traveling to the U.S. in search of a better life, during immigration enforcement operations or in the aftermath of their arrest, detention, and deportation. We also remember Alex Pretti and Renee Good, whose deaths earlier this year prompted our January statement. We pray for their families, for their communities, and for all who carry the weight of these tragedies.
Our Catholic faith teaches that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Human dignity is not earned through citizenship, legal status, race, or nationality. It is a gift from God that can never be taken away. Every policy, every exercise of authority, and every encounter with another human being must begin with this fundamental truth.
The call to welcome the stranger is not peripheral to our faith — it is at its heart. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do for “the least of these,” we do for Him. This Gospel mandate compels us to reject language, policies, and actions that dehumanize our neighbors or treat any human life as expendable.
The recent deaths in Maine and Texas raise serious moral questions about the use of force during immigration enforcement and about the systems and practices that have fostered fear within our immigrant communities.
Catholic Climate Covenant’s mission is rooted in caring for our common home and advancing the common good. These commitments cannot be separated from our responsibility to defend the dignity of every person. As Pope Francis repeatedly reminded us, everything is connected. Pope Leo XIV has taken up the same call, reminding us that all of humanity is magnificent, and human life and dignity should be put first — just as God intended. The same moral vision that calls us to care for creation also calls us to protect those who are vulnerable, displaced, marginalized, or living in fear.
We call upon the Catholic community to pray, to accompany immigrant families, to advocate for policies rooted in human dignity, and to bear witness to Christ’s command to welcome the stranger.
As we said in January, ora et labora — prayer and action — must go hand in hand. We remain committed to living out the Gospel by defending the vulnerable, welcoming the stranger, and recognizing the face of Christ in every person. We will never grow indifferent to suffering. We will respond with the courage, compassion, and hope that our faith demands.
