Catholic and Evangelical Leaders Unite in Call for Compassionate Immigration Reform
By: The Good Newsroom
Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue on Immigration releases statement on the effects of enforcement actions on families
WASHINGTON — “There is much that can be done to avoid the rupturing of our families and communities brought about by indiscriminate and aggressive enforcement actions,” said Bishop Brendan Cahill and Rev. Walter Kim in an ecumenical statement released Tuesday.
Bishop Cahill serves as the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration and Rev. Kim as the president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Together, they lead the Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue on Immigration (ECDI) as its co-chairs.
Today’s statement, “A Call for Christian Compassion and Wisdom in the Immigration Debate,” represents the first such statement on immigration in U.S. history to be jointly issued by senior leaders of the Catholic and evangelical traditions.
The statement’s timing corresponds to a significant increase in the number of reported detentions and deportations, especially in the wake of several groups of immigrants having their legal protections revoked by the U.S. government. This is inflicting particular hardship on families with members who have differing immigration statuses, many of whom face the threat of separation.
Reflecting on the statement’s significance, Bishop Cahill and Rev. Kim said:
“What is unique about this statement is not the content, which is grounded in centuries of Christian teaching and tradition that we have already affirmed separately, but the clear unity that exists between us in this moment. As pastors devoted to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we share a responsibility to articulate our convictions, even when it comes to subject matter as challenging as immigration. In doing so together, we seek to embrace our common heritage as both Christians and Americans. Through the ECDI, we have found a strong sense of fraternity and common purpose. It is from this sincere and patriotic perspective, and with deep concern for those affected by current immigration policies, that we offer this statement with both conviction and hope.”
Launched in March 2026, the ECDI is a joint initiative of the USCCB and NAE. It includes five evangelical and five Catholic members, in addition to the co-chairs. Several leaders of organizations affiliated with each tradition also participate in the effort as observers.
For the full text of the statement and more information about the ECDI, please visit usccb.org/ecdi.