German archbishop says US-Mexico border wall recalls Berlin Wall, warns against loss of humanity
Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg toured the U.S.–Mexico border between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, noting the wall’s resemblance to the Berlin Wall and its impact on shared communities. He highlighted the U.S.’s restrictive migration policies, which have turned Mexico into a destination country for migrants and increased deportations from the U.S. into Mexico. During his August solidarity trip he met migrants, aid workers, and church leaders, underscoring the humanitarian challenges along the border. As the German Bishops’ Conference’s special envoy for refugee issues, Hesse has visited other migration hotspots such as Ukraine, Kenya and Egypt, bringing a broader perspective to the U.S. situation.
23 days ago
Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg compared the fortified U.S.–Mexico border near El Paso and Ciudad Juárez to the Berlin Wall, saying the barriers and razor wire reflect a loss of human dignity when migration is treated mainly as a security issue. During a weeklong visit, he highlighted the humanitarian work of Catholic organizations, the effects of deportation and organized crime, and the need for safe migration routes and development assistance.
Hesse, the German Bishops’ Conference’s special representative for refugee issues and chairman of its migration commission, visited the border from Aug. 20–27 as part of a “solidarity trip.” He said the scale and perceived inhumanity of the border fortifications reminded him of the Berlin Wall, which divided Berlin for nearly three decades.
He was particularly struck that El Paso and Ciudad Juárez had historically grown together and remain connected through their populations, yet are now separated by a wall and razor wire. He described the border situation as disturbing.
Hesse said restrictive U.S. policies had changed Mexico’s role from primarily a country of origin and transit into a destination for migrants, while deportations from the United States have created additional pressures. During the trip, he met migrants, volunteers, aid workers, civic officials and church leaders, including Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso.
Among the people he encountered was an elderly Cuban man who had lived and worked in the United States for 46 years before being deported to southern Mexico, a region unfamiliar to him and offering few prospects for a dignified old age. Hesse compared the man’s situation to that of an uprooted tree.
He also met a young man from Ciudad Juárez who had been involved in organized crime and had worked as a smuggler guiding people through dangerous border areas. The man said faith helped him leave organized crime, and he now works on a project supporting young migrants in Mexico.
Hesse said the situation would be significantly worse without Church-run services. He estimated that approximately 80% of migrant shelters are operated by the Church, providing not only accommodation but also treatment centered on migrants’ dignity.
He cited CAFEMIN in Mexico City, run by the Sisters of St. Joseph, as an example of Pope Francis’ approach of welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants. He contrasted such shelters with detention centers, where he said migrants are primarily treated as threats rather than as individuals.
In Ciudad Juárez, Hesse and Bishop Seitz visited a migrant youth center and celebrated Mass with Mexicans, Americans and migrants. Hesse said the gathering demonstrated the spiritual unity of Catholics on both sides of the Rio Grande, expressing the idea that “in the Church, there are no borders.”
Hesse acknowledged that states have responsibility for regulating migration, but warned that policies focused exclusively on security cause “a fundamental sense of humanity” to be lost. He said the rule of law and respect for human rights were declining in several migration settings.
Drawing parallels with migration pressures in Europe, including at Spain’s Ceuta enclave and along Mediterranean routes, he criticized wealthy countries for emphasizing deterrence and the externalization of migration controls. In his view, that approach risks neglecting humanitarian responsibilities and human dignity.
Hesse called for safe pathways for people seeking protection and sufficient development cooperation to address the root causes of forced migration. He also urged Americans and Europeans to remain attentive to conditions in other parts of the world and to resist indifference and self-centeredness by learning from acts of charity.
How does Catholic teaching address border walls and migration?
Catholic teaching does not declare every border wall intrinsically immoral. Nations may control their borders, enforce laws, and protect public safety for the common good. However, this authority is limited by the dignity of every person and the duty to protect those fleeing danger.
The central principles are:
Therefore, a wall could be morally permissible if it serves a legitimate security purpose and is built and used proportionately. It becomes morally objectionable when it is intended to humiliate, discriminate against, needlessly separate families, block legitimate asylum, or treat migrants as less than human. Pope Francis strongly warned against “walls of ignominy,” but this expresses a moral condemnation of exclusion and dehumanization, not a technical claim that every physical barrier is automatically forbidden.
In short: Catholic teaching supports secure borders and the rule of law, but insists that they be joined to hospitality, asylum protection, solidarity, and respect for human dignity. A policy cannot be judged by the existence of a wall alone; its purpose, design, effects, and treatment of vulnerable people must also be examined.