Photo by Takeshi Morisato on Unsplash
Mark Joseph Seitz, bishop of El Paso, Texas, delivered a package of letters to Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, filled with fear and despair, written by migrant families who feel their lives are on the brink of repression under the United States' new immigration policies.
Silenced Voices: Testimonies of Fear and Restriction
The letters describe an environment of daily terror: migrants with legal status, U.S. citizens, and children—all living in fear of being detained or deported without warning. María, a Guatemalan migrant, describes how she can no longer even go to church or go shopping without feeling threatened. These letters were accompanied by a video shown to the Pope documenting raids, aggressive detentions in border communities, and other incidents that, according to the signatories, violate basic rights.
The Church raises its voice: solidarity and a call to action
Pope Leo XIV, moved by the stories, promised to "stand with" those migrants and the Catholic leaders who support them. In addition to thanking Bishop Seitz for his work, he urged the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to speak out firmly on the situation. Seitz, who chairs the conference's migration committee, emphasized that this plea is not political, but rather a matter of human dignity, the Gospel message, and the Church's duty to care for the most vulnerable.
The letters come at a time of heightened tension: under the Trump administration, immigration policies have intensified, with more aggressive raids, mass deportations announced or underway, and widespread fear in migrant communities of losing safety even if they have legal status. Catholic leaders have denounced the risks to the well-being of entire families, while the government defends its actions as necessary for national security.
For more stories like this, follow More Latin.
Sources:
English 
Spanish