A senior editor for the Jesuits' flagship U.S. publication said the Democrats' national platform "resonates with much of Catholic social teaching," more than the Republicans' platform, when it comes to immigration.
"Overall, the Democratic platform on immigration is far more robust and recognizes many more nuances of the immigration system," J.D. Long García wrote in his Aug. 21 essay for America magazine.
"The Democrats have put forward a position on immigration that resonates with much of Catholic social teaching. The Republicans have not."
The first two items of the Republican National Committee's 28-page platform address immigration and the southern border. They are:
- Seal the border and stop the migrant invasion.
- Carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.
The GOP platform later adds:
- Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders.
The Democratic Party's 92-page platform, which was released right before this week's national convention in Chicago, calls for reforming the asylum system and for "a robust immigration system with accessible lawful pathways and penalties for illegal immigration [that] alleviates pressure at the border and upholds our values."
Garcia lauded the Democrats' platform for being "far more robust and recognizes many more nuances of the immigration system."
"It refers, for example, to different kinds of visas, and applauds steps that the Biden administration took to expand Temporary Protective Status for those who come from 'countries experiencing armed conflicts, natural disasters, or other crises,'" Garcia wrote.
"The Republican platform, on the other hand, does not even mention Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as minors. The Democrats platform briefly mentions root causes of migration, while the Republicans do not."
Garcia then mentioned that U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in 2004, established an immigration campaign as "an effort to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of goodwill in support of immigration reform."
"The campaign often points to Catholic social teaching on the issue of migration," Garcia wrote before adding the Catechism of the Catholic Church says "more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin."
Garcia said the bishops also maintain the right to enforce borders is not absolute and is only one of five principles that emerge from the church teaching on migration. He added the other four are:
- Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland.
- Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families.
- Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection.
- The human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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