Archbishop Rips 'Alligator Alcatraz' In Powerful Statement Condemning Trump's Immigration 'Enforcement Tactics'

Historically conservative Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami issued an official statement on Thursday, July 3, addressing immigration enforcement tactics employed by the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump.

Posted on the Archdiocese's website, it was also shared on the Archbishop's personal X account.

Speaking to multiple local news outlets, Archbishop Wenski said:

"We all want to make America great again, but you're not going to make America great by making America mean."

You can watch his interview with CBS Miami here:

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In his remarks to various outlets, he added concerns over the conditions the people abducted by ICE are being placed in.

"No matter how well secure you have the tents, in a strong storm I would think they would be hazardous. Plus the Everglades out there is very hot."

He also touched on the Trump administration's propaganda.

"It's unseemly to take pleasure in the suffering of others. We should not make fun of other people’s misery."

"To mock these people that are detained here is to forget, that they… have parents, mothers, fathers children, brothers and sister that are very distressed by people being detained here."

You can see his remarks to ABC Local 10 News here:

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The Archbishop also cited the unnecessary cruelty against people who have peacefully contributed to American society for years.

"Well, the policy is broken. And unfortunately it’s breaking people, people that are–– have been here for many years, hard working people, many of whom have a quasi-legal status, and now the administration wants to take all that away and start deporting them and that ignores the contributions these people have made and continue to make to our American society."

"What makes it cruel right now is the arbitrariness of this push to deport more people that really have a stake, who've already been here, that put in sweat equity in staying here."

The Archbishop also spoke to NBC 6 South Florida.

In his written statement, Archbishop Wenski acknowledged that immigration reform is required, but it should:

"...enhance our immigration system, respect human dignity, and promote the common good."

He added:

"...as employers in the agricultural or services sectors of our economy can tell you, most immigrants are hardworking and honest and only want to build a hopeful future for themselves and their families."

"The US faces labor shortages in many industries, including healthcare, service, and agriculture. Removing immigrant workers will only exacerbate these shortages."

Archbishop Wenski—who is from Palm Beach, Florida, where transplanted New Yorker Trump's Mar-a-Lago is located—wrote:

"Rather than spending billions to deport people who are already contributing positively to our nation’s well-being, it would be more financially sensible and more morally acceptable for Congress, working with the Administration, to expand legal pathways for non-criminal migrants to adjust to a permanent legal status."

The 2010 appointee of Pope Benedict XVI then addressed what is happening in his backyard.

"As the new detention center at Dade-Collier Airport, also known as 'Alligator Alcatraz,' becomes operational, it seems necessary to take stock of recent developments in immigration enforcement and reiterate the need for more than enforcement-only measures."

"It is alarming to see enforcement tactics that treat all irregular immigrants [those not having permanent legal status] as dangerous criminals. Masked, heavily armed agents who do not identify themselves during enforcement activities are surprising - so is the apparent lack of due process in deportation proceedings in recent months."

He then called out the propaganda being produced and posted online by Donald Trump, the White House, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, other members of the Trump administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Archbishop Wenski wrote:

"Along these lines, much of the current rhetoric is obviously intentionally provocative."

"It is unbecoming of public officials and corrosive of the common good to speak of the deterrence value of 'alligators and pythons' at the Collier-Dade facility."

"Common decency requires that we remember the individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives."

Republicans have used the detention center to fundraise by selling branded merchandise bearing its name.

Archbishop Wenski then called on the Christian nationalist-backed Trump administration to meet the detainees' spiritual needs.

"We wish to ensure that chaplains and pastoral ministers can serve those in custody, to their benefit and that of the staff."

Familiar with Florida, he brought up the reason the site is ill-advised and poorly planned.

"We also raise concerns about the isolation of the detention facility, which is far from medical care centers, and the precariousness of the temporary 'tent' structures in the Florida heat and summer thunderstorms, not to mention the challenge of safely protecting detainees in the event of a hurricane."

He ended with a call to prayer from "all people of goodwill."

"We call on all people of goodwill to pray for our government officials, for those in immigration custody and their families, for those who work in enforcement, and for justice for all in this nation, whose prosperity immigrants have always contributed to."

Archbishop Wenski doesn't stand alone in his criticism and condemnation of the Trump administration.

Archbishop Wenski is not even the only Catholic leader to call out the Trump administration's racist and xenophobic immigration policy.

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez wrote in an OpEd for Angelus:

"The vast majority of 'illegal aliens' are good neighbors, hardworking men and women, people of faith; they are making important contributions to vital sectors of the American economy: agriculture, construction, hospitality, health care, and more. They are parents and grandparents, active in our communities, charities, and churches."

"But the current administration has offered no immigration policy beyond the stated goal of deporting thousands of people each day."

"This is not policy, it is punishment, and it can only result in cruel and arbitrary outcomes. Already we are hearing stories of innocent fathers and mothers being wrongly deported, with no recourse to appeal."

Archbishop Gomez added:

"This situation is not worthy of a great nation."

"A great nation can take the time and care to make distinctions and judge each case on its merits."

Before his death, Pope Francis also spoke out against the Trump administration's actions, stating:

"What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly."

Unfortunately, the Trump administration has proven impervious to calls to display common decency, empathy, or humanity.