Posted on 10/27/2025 4:36:28 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The imposing Shrine of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic church a short drive from the White House, was intended to be a sanctuary for worshippers. Now, its mostly immigrant congregation is steeped in fear.
Church leaders say more than 40 members of their parish have been detained, deported or both since federal law enforcement stepped up their deployment in August.
Many parishioners are too scared to leave home to attend Mass, buy food or seek medical care, as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown targets their communities.
Cardinal Robert McElroy, who leads the Archdiocese of Washington, said the government was using fear to rob immigrants “of any sense of real peace or security.”
“It really is an instrument of terror,” he told The Associated Press.
The immigration raids have upended lives and worship at Sacred Heart. Families grieve for missing loved ones. Attendance at Masses, which are held in several languages, has dropped dramatically, visible in the many empty pews under the domed church’s colorful mosaics.
“About half the people are afraid to come,” said the Rev. Emilio Biosca, the church’s pastor.
But the church community rejects being reduced to powerless victims. During the crisis, pastors and church volunteers have attended immigration court hearings, covered rent and legal fees, and donated and delivered food to those fearful of leaving home.
“Our role here at the church has changed, also dramatically,” Biosca said. “Because we have so many people who are adversely affected by that situation, we cannot possibly go on as business as usual.”
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Arrest these lawbreaking "volunteers" and send to gitmo.
Fixed it.
CC
Another sob story from AP.
Yes. I suppose that Jesus and his gang did take over that stable...
Let the Church embrace its illegality.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2241:Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.
Illegal immigrants know that their status is illegal. They know that they are disobeying the laws of these United States. They know that they are treating the material and spiritual heritage of these United States with contempt. They know that they are creating, rather than carrying, a civic burden.
And they do it anyway.
Away with them.
Home would be the first place Federal Law Enforcement would look!
Fear? Such are the consequences of purposeful illegal immigration. It does no one any good to keep pretending we don’t know that. “Let’s Pretend” was a big factor during the Biden Administration. Let’s pretend about borders, about genders, about DEI incompetencies, about Chinese Spy Balloons, and so on
.
Are these Church leaders confessing to felonious complicity?
“Home would be the first place Federal Law Enforcement would look!”
Actually, the low hanging fruit is in the Home Depot parking lot. I imagine one reason ICE doesn’t take them at home is the optics, with screaming children and hysterical wives, would be terrible. So, take the guy. Then he has to arrange for the rest of the family to meet him in Paraguay, or wherever and none of the hysterics gets onto the news feeds. Whatever does get onto the social media feeds is artificial and usually looks the part.
Trump and his team understand the importance of optics.
It is a shame the Democrats used these people to overthrow the U.S. government.
Illegal immigration crackdown stokes fear in Catholic Church of less dollars in offering baskets.
Illegals are law breakers and must be deported. Religion must not be involved, although the fake news media will continue to do all they can to protect the criminals.
I’ll bet it strikes fear. The Catholic Church is the biggest human smuggler of all.
AP = All Propaganda all the time. These guys never take a day off.
Just out of curiosity.....what happens to me if I’m found to be in Mexico (or almost anywhere else in the world) illegally?
the church has been corrupted by the handouts from the rats
Since these illegal aliens are too scared to attend Mass, these criminals can feel secure at their Mass in a legal, Southern Border.
These aren’t IMMIGRANTS
They’re all illegal aliens
IMMIGRANTS aren’t being detained or deported
I’m still here
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