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Balancing Safety and Security with

Humaneness and Christian Charity

by Fr. Michael P. Orsi

he raids and deportation efforts Look around at our agricultural workers, restaurant and food
against illegal immigrant criminal service employees, maintenance and grounds care providers, and
T gangs raise the specter of a nationwide others engaged in basic physical tasks, and you’ll see that this
roundup of undocumented foreigners. pattern persists. The reality is that if all these workers were suddenly
To some people, these moves by the new removed, much of society’s most fundamental and essential needs
Trump Administration are the answer to long- could not be met.
held fears of a foreign “invasion”. To others Yet it must be recognized that those who choose to immigrate
they signify isolationism, cruelty, and a rejection of our history of must accept their responsibilities to the country in which they now
embracing the many nationality groups that have made America live. They are obligated to learn the language, to live within the law,
the nation it is. and to accommodate themselves to cultural norms.
I don’t think we’re going to see the mass deportations which And there is the problem.
people either hope for or fear. What we do need to see is a wise This influx of foreigners has been huge, rapid, and almost
approach to immigration reform that balances legitimate safety totally uncontrolled. The catch-and-release policy of the Biden
and security concerns with humaneness and a genuine sense of Administration has made it impossible to keep track of everyone
Christian charity. who was part of the surge. This has been a boon to criminals, and it
The Catholic Church has always held to the biblically inspired impeded the assimilation process through which immigrants must
tradition of welcoming the stranger. At the same time, our pass, and which can take more than a single generation to complete.
Catechism explicitly states that national and civic authorities have Let us pray that Trump’s crackdown on criminal gangs succeeds
the obligation to protect their citizens and maintain order. quickly, so that we can move on to addressing the vast sea of
Among the massive wave of immigrants encouraged to rush illegals — identifying those who are legitimately entitled to refugee
our border by the Biden Administration are many individuals and protections and other humane treatment.
organized gangs that pose undeniable threats to safety and order. And let immigrants recognize that, as the Catechism puts it,
These dangerous actors must be restrained and removed. they are “obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual
We cannot permit other countries to export their most heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws, and to
troublesome elements to the United States. assist in carrying civic burdens” (CCC 2241).
At the same time, we must recognize that newly arrived Rev. Michael P. Orsi is senior advisor to Action for Life Florida and host of “A
immigrants — both legal and illegal — have always played a vital Conversation with Father Orsi,” a weekly television series that delves into current
role in our economy and national progress. Most people who begin events with a focus on sanctity of life issues. His writings appear in numerous
life in a new land start at the bottom of the employment ladder, publications and online journals.
doing jobs that longer-established workers either don’t want or His TV show episodes can be viewed online at:
can’t afford to take. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyFbaLqUwPi08aHtlIR9R0g

28 www.LifeInNaples.net