Los Angeles Archbishop comments on riots

Archbishop Gomez

Source: LA Catholics

Commenting on events in Los Angeles yesterday, when the armed National Guard was sent to suppress demonstrations against ICE raids, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez said: "I am troubled by today's immigration enforcement raids in Los Angeles, and I am praying for our community. I pray tonight that everyone involved will exercise restraint and calm.

We all agree that we don't want undocumented immigrants who are known terrorists or violent criminals in our communities. But there is no need for the government to carry out enforcement actions in a way that provokes fear and anxiety among ordinary, hard-working immigrants and their families.

Again, I urge Congress to get serious about fixing our broken immigration system that leads so many to seek to cross our borders illegally.

Other nations have a coherent immigration policy that respects the natural rights of people to emigrate in search of a better life and also ensures control of their borders. America should too. It's been almost 40 years since the last reform of our immigration laws. That's too long and it's time to do something about that.

May Our Lady of Guadalupe continue to watch over her children and pray for America.