The Sisters of Bon Secours USA are deeply grieved by the agony that is being experienced by immigrant families seeking asylum in the United States and are outraged that a morally unjust policy that separates children from their parents is being implemented at the southern border as part of our country’s "zero tolerance" immigration policy.
We stand in solidarity with the United States Catholic Bishops, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and people of good will throughout our country who are raising their voices to denounce such inhumane treatment of our migrant brothers and sisters. We join the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights in condemning this practice that "amounts to arbitrary and unlawful interference in family life and is a serious violation of the rights of the child" and we call on our government to put an immediate halt to this immoral practice.
As women of compassion and healing we commit ourselves to advocate for legislation that puts an end to the practice of family separation that is causing untold trauma and suffering. We support legislation such as The Keep Families Together Act (S. 3036) and the Humane Enforcement Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act of 2018 (S. 2937/H.R.5950) that would end the practice of family separation and provide relief to impacted families.
To our migrant brothers and sisters, we promise to accompany you on your journey not only through our prayers for your safety and security but also through our continued advocacy for just and fair migration policies. We commit ourselves to embody Jesus’ clarion call to "welcome the stranger" so that your arduous journey to the United States will truly be a journey of hope.