As we continue to pray for Pope Francis in his time of sickness, in hopes that he is able to resume fully his ministry as the "Vicar of Christ" and Supreme Pontiff, it is likely that some are reflecting on his time as our pope, recognizing, due to his age and current condition that his papacy may sooner than later be coming to an end. Naturally, there are some who praise God for the accomplishments of his papacy while some are less than pleased by his focus on some issues like the care for our common home, the earth. Then there's what he has said and taught about the inherent dignity of every human person who is created in the image and likeness of God and how this is to be respected and protected in all circumstances. Our pope has certainly been clear about the rights of immigrants which has not been accepted by many, including Catholics.
I think it is important to recognize that he is certainly following the Tradition of the Church and his predecessors in the "Chair of St. Peter" in what he has taught on this subject. In "Rerum Novarum" Pope Leo XIII, whose papacy ran from 1878 until his death in 1913, emphasized that no one would exchange his country for a foreign land if his own afforded him the means of living a decent and happy life. The corollary to this emphasis consists in ensuring that the conditions of a given country do not give rise to situations of forced migration. Saint, Pope John XXIII asserted that "every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of residence within the confines of his own country; and when there are just reasons for it, the right to emigrate to other countries and take up residence there. This conviction was subsequently reinforced in the Second Vatican Council's teaching "Gadium Et Spes" which explicitly recognized a person's right to migrate. Saint, Pope John Paul II in his encyclical "Laborum Exercens" reaffirms the point that people should be able to migrate to find work to support themselves and their family while acknowledging that such migration signifies a loss to one's home country.
With all this said and taught, it is certainly the case that political leaders have the right to control and manage the borders of the state over which they rule. "Every state has the right to regulate migration and to enact policies dictated by the general requirements of the common good...AND it must always do so "while safeguarding respect for the dignity of each human person." The Church has always recognized and respected the plight of refugees and asylum seekers who flee their country due to various forms of persecution. I doubt there is hardly anyone who disagrees that our country (and others) needs to work on immigration reform that is both fair to the citizens of our (or any) country AND the immigrants.
I think it is important to recognize that he is certainly following the Tradition of the Church and his predecessors in the "Chair of St. Peter" in what he has taught on this subject. In "Rerum Novarum" Pope Leo XIII, whose papacy ran from 1878 until his death in 1913, emphasized that no one would exchange his country for a foreign land if his own afforded him the means of living a decent and happy life. The corollary to this emphasis consists in ensuring that the conditions of a given country do not give rise to situations of forced migration. Saint, Pope John XXIII asserted that "every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of residence within the confines of his own country; and when there are just reasons for it, the right to emigrate to other countries and take up residence there. This conviction was subsequently reinforced in the Second Vatican Council's teaching "Gadium Et Spes" which explicitly recognized a person's right to migrate. Saint, Pope John Paul II in his encyclical "Laborum Exercens" reaffirms the point that people should be able to migrate to find work to support themselves and their family while acknowledging that such migration signifies a loss to one's home country.
With all this said and taught, it is certainly the case that political leaders have the right to control and manage the borders of the state over which they rule. "Every state has the right to regulate migration and to enact policies dictated by the general requirements of the common good...AND it must always do so "while safeguarding respect for the dignity of each human person." The Church has always recognized and respected the plight of refugees and asylum seekers who flee their country due to various forms of persecution. I doubt there is hardly anyone who disagrees that our country (and others) needs to work on immigration reform that is both fair to the citizens of our (or any) country AND the immigrants.