Mexican bishops deplore plight of migrants

The Catholic Bishops in north east Mexico have united to welcome convoys of migrants attempting to enter the country and pass to the border with the United States of America. Bishop Alonso Garza Treviño, of the diocese of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, says he intends to open a new Migrants Home in that area. Similar decisions have been taken by the Archbishop of Monterrey, Rogelio Cabrera López, the auxiliary of Monterrey, Bishop Heriberto Cavazos Pérez, and the Bishop of Saltillo, Raúl Vera López, O.P. For some time these dioceses have assisted migrants, especially since the issue reached the international level.

Bishop Treviño, reports that Caritas Centres work swiftly but the activity of the civil authorities is slower. In Piedras Negras many migrants have drowned attempting to cross the Rio Bravo. Archbishop Lopez says the situation is now an international matter, calling for the attention of everyone. Pope Francis continues to urge more assistance for migrants.

"While the government in Washington says it has no power to stop asylum seekers it asks Mexico to detain them" says Lawyer Jaime Barrón, who works in Dallas, Texas, to assist migrants. "In my opinion this situation is disputable - to force people not to ask for asylum" he adds; "People fear being held in Mexico for months, years and these are people without shelter or food".