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Opposes Trump's mass deportation plans
McElroy has expressed concern about President-elect Donald Trump and his immigration policies, particularly Trump's promise to initiate mass deportations of illegal migrants.
"The Catholic Church teaches that a country has the right to control its borders and our nation's desire to do that is a legitimate effort," McElroy told Crux during a press conference this week.
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"At the same time, we are called always to have a sense of the dignity of every human person, and thus plans which have been talked about at some levels of having a wider, indiscriminate, massive deportation across the country would be something that would be incompatible with Catholic doctrine," he added.
McElroy urged Catholics to pray for Trump, his administration and for politicians throughout the nation to work together for the sake of the country.
Throughout the 2024 presidential election, Trump criticized the Biden-Harris administration's immigration policies, promising to focus on border security during his second term.
Trump also focused on immigration during his first presidential campaign in 2016, promising to build a border wall to reduce illegal immigration. The Biden administration later halted construction of most of the wall in 2021.
After the 2016 presidential election, McElroy released a statement advocating for the maintenance of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a policy that provides deportation protection and specific benefits to immigrants who entered the country illegally as children.
"If the new administration eliminates existing protections for these model citizens who will contribute so manifestly to building an America which is truly great, it will be an unmistakable sign that the new administration is embarking upon the pathway of massive deportation, and the Catholic community must move immediately to wide-scale opposition," McElroy wrote.
McElroy called for Catholics to advocate against the issue with "the same energy, commitment and immediacy" that they devote to abortion and religious liberty.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
