The following is the text of an email sent by the Texas Catholic Conference.



Texas Bishops Issue Statement of Principles
On Caring for Women and Child Refugees


The Texas Catholic Bishops have written to members of the Texas Congressional delegation to urge them to reach a policy consensus that compassionately and effectively addresses the humanitarian crisis along the southern border.

The letter was signed by Bishops from each of the 15 dioceses across the state, and appealed for prompt actions in securing emergency funding as well as upholding the due process rights of refugees seeking asylum from the suffering, abuse, and death in their home countries.

“[A] just and reasonable society works to protect and defend the vulnerable and defenseless from harm,” the Bishops asserted. “As Catholics, we feel keenly this responsibility, since our faith calls us to serve the least of these our brothers and sisters. Hence, we lend a vigorous voice to all men and women of good will who recognize that all people should be treated with dignity, compassion, and justice.”

Accompanying the letter the Bishops included a Statement of Principles to guide policymakers in this crisis. These principles include:

• Government immigration agencies and law enforcement personnel should treat all refugees seeking asylum with dignity, fairness, compassion, and in full accordance with their due process rights in seeking asylum. Expedited processing risks diminishing due process and mistakes on legitimate asylum claims.
  
• Allocate emergency funding to provide humanitarian aid for refugees, to ensure resources for governmental workers to efficiently perform their jobs, and to allow existing refugee programs to continue.
  
• Preserve the bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to protect refugee children fleeing violence, exploitation, and possible death in their home countries.
  
• Reaffirm the nation’s right and responsibility to maintain secure borders and to intercept unauthorized migrants by targeted, proportional, and humane measures.
  
  “We appeal to you and other policymakers on both the state and federal levels to eschew the bitterness of contemporary political rhetoric and instead uphold the best of American principles and serve the needs of the most despairing and vulnerable in our midst,” the Bishops’ letter stated.
  

CLICK HERE for the Bishops' Letter and Statement of Principles (English and Spanish)
CLICK HERE to forward this email to your friends and family.

The Texas Catholic Conference tries to be judicious in issuing alerts and does so when contact from constituents will make a difference at a critical moment in a bill's movement through the legislature. You may direct questions to Jeffery Patterson, Texas Catholic Conference Executive Director, atjeff@txcatholic.org

(Photo by LA Times)


"We must not lose sight of the fact that these are young, scared, and desperate mothers and children. They need and deserve our protection and support. . .We call on our fellow Texans to pray for the safety and wellbeing of these young refugees and for the continued efforts of both public and private aid officials in resolving this potential humanitarian crisis along the border.”

- Texas Bishops June 24, 2014