Catholic bishops in Florida formally requested that President Trump and Governor DeSantis halt immigration enforcement during the Christmas holidays. The bishops argued that a pause would demonstrate respect for the humanity of immigrant families and allow them to celebrate the season without fear. Archbishop Thomas Wenski urged officials not to be 'the Grinch that stole Christmas' by allowing families time together before potential deportation proceedings. The prelates suggested that pausing enforcement could reduce partisan tensions and ease anxiety among immigrant and nonimmigrant families. The statement noted that efforts to remove dangerous criminals have largely been accomplished and that the border has been secured.
2 months ago
Florida's Catholic bishops, led by Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, issued a statement on December 22, 2025, urging President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis to pause immigration enforcement during the Christmas season.1 2 3
The appeal was signed by eight prelates, including Bishops Gerald Barbarito, Frank Dewane, John Noonan, Gregory Parkes, William Wack, Erik Pohlmeier, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado.1 2 3
The bishops argued that halting "apprehension and roundup activities" would respect family humanity and reduce fear among immigrants and citizens alike.1 2 3
Archbishop Wenski called for a two-week reprieve, warning against being "the Grinch that stole Christmas" and referencing detention centers like Alligator Alcatraz and Krome.1 2 3
The statement noted the U.S. border is secured, with over 500,000 deportations and nearly 2 million self-deportations this year, accomplishing much criminal removal.1 2 3
Current operations, however, sweep up non-criminals, workers, and those with legal status, causing family suffering amid lengthy resolutions.1 2 3
Bishops highlighted a "growing majority of Americans" viewing policies as excessive, linking to an Amnesty International report on "cruel" conditions in Florida centers amounting to torture.1 2 3
They advocated enforcement with due process and dignity for all involved, amid partisan tensions, to celebrate the "Prince of Peace."1 2 3
The White House rebuffed the appeal, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stating President Trump is fulfilling his promise to deport criminal illegal aliens, with no holiday pause mentioned.4 5
Neither the White House nor DeSantis' office commented prior to initial reports.1 2 3
Wenski emphasized immigrants' economic roles in agriculture, services, healthcare, and construction, calling for rationalized enforcement.5
The plea aligns with his advocacy, including visits to detention centers and Masses for detainees.5
How does the Catholic Church justify holiday immigration moratoriums?
The Catholic Church does not justify holiday-specific immigration moratoriums in its official teachings, as no such targeted pauses on enforcement or border control are endorsed or referenced in magisterial documents or pastoral guidance. Instead, the Church consistently calls for a balanced approach to migration that upholds the human dignity of all persons year-round—welcoming strangers as an expression of charity while respecting nations' sovereign rights to secure borders and enforce just laws. This ongoing obligation stems from Scripture (e.g., Matthew 25:35) and core principles like those in the Catechism, which urge prosperous nations to welcome foreigners seeking security "to the extent they are able," without exempting or privileging holiday periods.
Catholic social doctrine frames migration as a moral issue demanding both compassion and order. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) explicitly affirms that "the Catholic Church affirms the rule of law, encourages the use of lawful immigration pathways, and discourages migration simply for the purpose of advancing one’s individual position without regard for the common good." Nations retain "the right to control its borders," but this must be "balanced with the duty to welcome newcomers with charity and respect for the human person." The Catechism reinforces this: "Political authorities, for the sake of the common good... may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions," including immigrants' duties to obey laws.
Popes have echoed this without suggesting seasonal halts. Pope Francis, in his 2024 address to the Diplomatic Corps, stressed that "migration should be regulated, in order to accept, promote, accompany and integrate migrants, while at the same time respecting the culture, sensitivities and security of the peoples." He has decried irregular migration's dangers but called for "constructing bridges and not walls" through structured channels, not temporary moratoriums. Earlier, Pope Paul VI highlighted the Church's duty to aid migrants "with no less zeal in the future," portraying it as a perpetual Christian vocation tied to Judgment Day (Matthew 25).
Far from limiting charity to holidays, the Church views migrants as ongoing vessels of God's grace. The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development describes them as a "blessing" that revitalizes communities, urging Catholics to "show hospitality to strangers" (Hebrews 13:2) at all times, fostering "fraternity of Pentecost." Pope Francis, in Spes non confundit (2024), insists on "a spirit of welcome, which embraces everyone with respect for his or her dignity," ensuring exiles and refugees access security, employment, and education without frustration by "prejudice and rejection"—a mandate unbound by calendar.
The Catechism roots this in universal human dignity: societies must recognize rights "prior to society," including aid for refugees and migrants as part of the global common good. Prosperous nations bear a special duty to protect guests, seeing neighbors as "another self." USCCB statements prioritize "humane" border security with "alternatives to detention" like community programs, but frame these as systemic reforms, not holiday exceptions.
Searches across papal bulls, encyclicals, catechismal texts, and bishops' letters yield no endorsement of moratoriums during holidays like Christmas. Teachings invoke the Holy Family's flight to Egypt as an archetype for all migrants, emphasizing perpetual protection amid peril, not seasonal policy. Pope Francis's 2025 letter to U.S. bishops rejects "narratives that discriminate," calling for steady solidarity to "build bridges," while Pope John Paul II noted emigration's hardships without temporal caveats. Even appeals for refugee intake, like Francis's 2021 General Audience, seek "open doors" through ecclesial communities, not government pauses.
Where sources address enforcement, they advocate proportionality—e.g., detention only for public safety, not deterrence—and root-cause solutions, underscoring that charity "does not incentivize unlawful migration" but responds to complex push-pull factors. Holiday moratoriums, if implying lax enforcement, could contradict this by undermining lawful pathways the Church promotes.
In summary, the Church justifies neither holiday moratoriums nor their absence through selective timing; its ethic is timeless charity integrated with justice. For deeper guidance, consult the full Catechism (nn. 2241, 1911) or USCCB resources on migration.