As Catholics the sanctity of life is the preeminent issue of our time.  We must prioritize human dignity above all else. If we genuinely cared about illegal immigrants coming across the U.S. border by the thousands daily we would evaluate the root cause of what is driving them to the border.  They are leaving behind their families, their customs and traditions.  Instead, we pridefully believe that the U.S. is the best solution for their needs, but is it?  Do we believe that packing several million immigrants over a short span of time into our country with little infrastructure or the ability to safely assimilate them is the best option?  These are the questions we should ask ourselves.

As a former leader in the insurance industry focusing on strategic risk management, I understand the importance of measuring the velocity of risk. This includes evaluating both the speed of onset of the event and the agility of the organization to respond when it happens. Unfortunately, the United States is struggling with extremely high velocity risk. The speed of onset of the immigration crisis has been rapid, and the US is woefully unable to quickly adapt. Our inability to screen border crossings, address terrorist threats, criminal activity and protect children from human trafficking at the border and enforce the rule of law is putting not only those crossing the border at risk but also every human life within the United States.

It’s akin to a level 5 hurricane. When faced with such a disaster, the only recourse is to leave. However, with the current illegal immigration crisis, there is nowhere to go. This is our country, and it is under siege. While the US had some control over the borders in 2020, everything changed with the Biden Administration. The number of border crossings quadrupled by 2021 and now by 2023 it exceeds 3.2 million.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters

Ultimately, it’s up to the states and us to prioritize human dignity and find protective solutions to the immigration crisis. We must work together to create a safer and more secure future for our citizens.  One can understand how Texas got to this frustrating place that it sees itself in. Texas bears the brunt of America’s border security failures. Now it would appear we are poised for a civil war with 25 other states signing an agreement in support of Texas’ right to defend its border. A real Texas stand-off.   

Providing Context: The Last Three Years of Border Crossings
To put things in perspective, consider this: the total number of border crossings over the last three years is equivalent to the entire population of eight U.S. states:

The number of illegal immigrants crossing the border (2021-2023) stands at 7.9 million, which is equivalent to more than 5% of people who voted in the 2020 presidential elections and 2.3% of the entire US population. It’s important to note the seriousness of this rapid influx, which poses a significant challenge to assimilation efforts. Additionally, there are many illegal immigrants crossing the border who pose a serious threat to our country, including drug traffickers, human traffickers, and terrorists.

Alarming Increase in Fentanyl Seizures at the U.S. Border
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported a staggering 33% increase in fentanyl seizures in 2022, from approximately 10,600 pounds in 2021 to 14,100 pounds. In the subsequent year, the number of fentanyl confiscations at the U.S. border rose to a shocking 27,000 pounds, a 92% increase from the previous year.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/drug-seizure-statistics
 
Fentanyl, a potent opioid, is now responsible for 99% of all overdose deaths in the United States, up from 65% in 2021. The increased seizures of fentanyl at the U.S. border are indicative of the rise in drug cartels entering the country illegally through unsecured borders. These cartels and traffickers are exploiting the country’s weak border policies, as seen by the 3 million people crossing the border each year. By 2024, this number is expected to grow to 4 million. The devastating impact of this opioid crisis fueled by the border crisis is felt by families across the country, who have lost loved ones to fentanyl overdoses.
 
Mercy Should Not Overshadow Justice in Immigration Policies
The current border policies have become a matter of alarming concern for citizens and families. This is what happens when the administration acts with misplaced mercy, blindly opening borders but not fully comprehending the impact on the dignity of the human person.  Justice is completely overlooked, but it is just as important as mercy. It is crucial to find a balance between the two. Families, first responders, border patrol personnel, and citizens of the country are all entitled to justice in this great country. When left unchecked, misplaced mercy can have a harmful effect. As an example, this can be observed through co-dependent behaviors of loved ones who enable drug or alcohol addicts. The current administration’s co-dependent behavior with illegal immigrants perpetuates their dependence and jeopardizes the country’s safety and that of its children. It is time to consider the common good of the entire nation and address the impact of these policies on the dignity of the human person.

Catholic Charities: The Preeminent Illegal Immigrant Travel Agency?
Over the past three years of the Biden administration, nearly 8 million individuals have crossed the border, with Catholic Charities (USCCB Agency) providing assistance. It has been noted that this NGO has become the leading illegal immigrant travel agency. Catholic Charities is organizing the transportation of these individuals through midnight flights to closed airport destinations, where designated individuals await their arrival. For migration services alone, the USCCB, in conjunction with Catholic Charities, has received $3 billion from the federal government in the past 15 years. Unfortunately, each child placed with a sponsor is given a price tag, and some of these sponsors are unvetted, resulting in migrant children being exploited for labor or sex. Much of the information provided is from Christine Niles’s research in her Forward Boldly episode, “US Bishops Complicit in Child Trafficking”.

Human Trafficking is a $150 Billion business and the largest consumer of child sex abuse material is the U.S.  We are more keenly aware because of the blockbuster movie, Sound of Freedom.  Mexican drug cartels are morphing into human traffickers because of its lucrative business model as they can “re-sell” a child over and over again.  How does child trafficking happen through unsecured borders? Health and Human Services (HHS) offers the Unaccompanied Children’s Program (facilitated by USCCB Office of Migration Services/Catholic Charities) and through their process, they are placing children in the hands of unvetted sponsors, some of whom turn out to be pedophiles or child traffickers.  US bishops are complicit, knowing this is happening.  Much of what we know about this comes from information provided by Tim Ballard, founder of Operation Underground Railroad (from the Turning Point Action Conference in 2023) and Tara Lee Rodas – HHS Whistleblower.  The child’s sponsor does not have to even come and physically pick the child up in the presence of officials.  That unaccompanied child is shipped on a plane (via Catholic Charities) to the sponsor directly.  Project Veritas and James O’Keefe knocked on several of the doors of where these children were shipped to and spoke to these children and confirmed they had been repeatedly used as sex victims of trafficking rings by older men. 

So here we are friends, the USCCB and Catholic Charities are in the human trafficking business because they are assisting in the human trafficking transaction!  God help their souls.  They are profiting off of the lives of children.  St. Bakhita, pray for these children and the deep repentance and conversion of the USCCB, HHS and Catholic Charities personnel!

While HHS attempted to implement a “foundational rule” to offer some protections for children, Republican senators challenged the rule raising concerns about the safety for unaccompanied minors in December 2023.

Considering Contributing to Catholic Charities?
If you’re supporting Catholic Charities because of the good work they do, it’s worth taking a moment to think about the Principle of Double Effect attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas. Does the good you’re doing by contributing outweigh their role in human trafficking, especially children?  I could quickly deviate and discuss how Catholic Charities also promotes (distributes) contraceptives in regions around the world but I will stick to the immigration issue today.

We need to ensure that there is accountability for the billions of dollars going to all agencies, particularly USCCB and Catholic Charities, which are helping to facilitate human trafficking. It’s important to note that USCCB receives a one-third to one-half of their annual total funding from migration services from the government.  The table below gives you a sense of the funding patterns by year to the USCCB by the government, much of which is derived for migration services:

Having lived in Houston, Texas for a decade, I came to appreciate the rich community that was composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds. To be clear, this is not a matter of disliking immigrants since America was founded upon and became enriched by immigrants from many nations. Rather, it’s about safeguarding our nation from being under siege, which is most egregious when it is caused by those in power. Despite the USCCB and this administration’s claim that allowing millions over the border is the merciful thing to do, the unchecked borders have become a national security crisis.  I would ask you these five questions:

Do we care enough for:

1. Countless human lives lost to fentanyl overdose, receiving their deadly fentanyl supply through drug traffickers illegally coming over the border?
2. Unaccompanied children trafficked into the United States with the help of Catholic Charities and the USCCB, children who are being used for sex and slavery?
3. The victims of murder and other crimes (rates rising in Texas and around the country) resulting from unaccountable legal and judicial systems for migrants?
4. The safety of our citizens when we know a staggering number of terrorists attempt to cross the border?
5. Fair representation for U.S. citizens when we have undocumented migrants surpassing 8 states’ populations in just 3 years?

It is essential that your Governor, U.S. and State representatives are aware of your position on Texas’ efforts to establish state sovereignty and whether you believe it to be a constitutional imperative. Additionally, the USCCB and Catholic Charities must recognize justice and mercy go hand in hand, and the gravity of the humanitarian crisis they have become a part of.  Please make your voice heard by the Bishops who enable illegal immigration and disregard the dignity of the human person!