World Immigration News

Upholding human dignity in immigration policies

Release Date: 2025-03-20
Media: Union of Catholic Asian News
Summary: The author reflects on their 25-year experience in the UK and a conversation with their gardener, who migrated from Bihar to Goa, India. Despite their different migration paths, they found common ground in contributing to labor markets and cultural diversity. Migration remains a significant and polarizing issue globally, with debates often revolving around job security, cultural identity, and national security.

In wealthier countries, immigrants are seen both as contributors and burdens on resources. In India, migration has become a topic in popular culture, highlighted in the film Dunki, which explores the struggles of illegal immigration. This issue is global, with the US recently facing backlash for deporting illegal immigrants in shackles. India ranks third among countries with the most unauthorized immigrants in the US, after Mexico and El Salvador.

The Catholic Church addresses migration through its teachings on human dignity, emphasizing that every person is created in God's image, regardless of immigration status. The Church opposes dehumanizing immigration policies, indefinite detention, family separation, and excessive law enforcement violence. It advocates for alternatives to deportation, including pathways to legal status, family reunification, strong protections for asylum seekers, community-based alternatives, and addressing root causes like poverty and violence.

Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti promotes fraternity, social friendship, and respect for migrants' human rights. The Church encourages policies that balance national needs with the dignity of migrants, urging the world to treat immigrants with compassion and respect. Migration is not just a political issue but a moral one, requiring policies that foster a society based on mutual respect and care.
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