Cardinal McElroy condemns Trump administration's immigration policies as a war on migrants

During a homily at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Archbishop Robert McElroy denounced the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement as a nationwide war on undocumented residents. He argued that promises to focus on criminals have given way to sweeping raids that affect ordinary workers and families. McElroy highlighted the deadly Minneapolis raid that resulted in the deaths of American citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and the ICE detention of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos alongside his father in Columbia Heights.

He warned that more than one million legally protected refugees are now being deported amid a resurgence of bigotry. The cardinal called on Catholics to resist actions taken in their name, stating that the country is losing its moral soul. The White House defended its approach as a public-safety measure, noting over 400,000 criminal-related deportations in the second term.