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(NewsNation) — After his first week on the job, Vice President JD Vance issued a challenge to Catholic bishops in the United States to “do better” on the issue of immigration.
He voiced his criticism during an interview with “Face the Nation” on CBS News on Sunday.
“I think the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has, frankly, not been a good partner in common sense immigration enforcement that the American people voted for, and I hope, again, as a devout Catholic, that they’ll do better,” Vance said.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders cracking down on illegal immigration. His administration has made its first priority the deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally who are criminals.
Bishops condemned some Trump orders
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned some of the executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on issues including immigration.
In a statement, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said, “Some provisions contained in the Executive Orders, such as those focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and the environment, are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us.”
The bishops conference is the governing body of Catholic leaders in the United States and coordinates and promotes Catholic activities. The body also monitors federal legislation that affects Catholic entities and the dignity of the human person.
JD Vance: Focus on humanitarian issues
Vice President Vance, who said he is a practicing Catholic, suggested the Catholic Church should pay closer attention to the humanitarian issues surrounding immigration, including the sex trafficking of children.
“I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?” Vance told CBS News’ Margaret Brennan.
“If they’re worried about the humanitarian costs of immigration enforcement, let them talk about the children who have been sex trafficked because of the wide open border of Joe Biden,” he said.
The Catholic Church teaches that richer nations have the moral duty to welcome foreigners who are seeking security and a livelihood that they cannot find in their country of origin, but it also teaches that governments have the right to enforce their laws and to protect the common good.
Bishops praised some Trump orders
“We’re going to enforce immigration law,” Vance said. “We’re going to protect the American people.”
Alongside their criticism, the bishops also praised some of the president’s executive orders, including one that recognizes two sexes: “Other provisions in the Executive Orders can be seen in a more positive light, such as recognizing the truth about each human person as male or female.”