The News & Topicality Thread

[Del]

https://x.com/LeadingReport/status/1883260829078073676

Trump administration has allegedly located between 75,000 and 80,000 of the over 300,000 missing migrant children, according to Harris Faulkner of Fox News.

Hopefully, most of these kids are being kept and cared by by the guardians they are supposed to be with.

And likely, ICE had their eyes on some of these kids under suspicion of being abused, but ICE was not permitted to investigate until now.

Tom Homan is determined to find ALL of these lost kids. It is unconscionable, what Biden Admin allowed to happen to all of these kids by failing to track and care for them.

I hope the Catholic Bishops speak out in gratitude for this work by the Trump Admin.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

[…]

I hope the Catholic Bishops speak out in gratitude for this work by the Trump Admin.

The Trump Admin are unprofitable servants and have merely done their duty.

Assuming that missing children have indeed been found, the bishops will undoubtedly praise where apropos, but such does not mean that the bishops will negotiate over non-negotiables. The Church's witness is not for sale. Let Trump's money perish with him.

[Jocose]

https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1883367731317129667

NGOs FUNNELED BILLIONS OF TAX DOLLARS INTO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION UNDER BIDEN

Turns out nonprofits weren’t just helping migrants—they were funding the crisis!

These groups took billions in taxpayer money, often without oversight, to transport and house illegal immigrants.

Data shows migrants processed by NGOs ended up in nearly every congressional district.

Sanctuary cities were hit hardest, with taxpayers footing the bill.

Under Biden, NGOs became the middlemen of illegal immigration.

Trump’s ICE is now digging into the mess he left behind.

Source: theamericanconservative, heritage, newsnationow

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Title: Executive Actions Will Subject Vulnerable Families and Children to Grave Danger, says Bishop Seitz
Source: USCCB: Office of Public Affairs
Link: usccb DOT org/news/2025/executive-actions-will-subject-vulnerable-families-and-children-grave-danger-says-bishop

The Money-Quote:

While an emphasis on anti-trafficking is welcomed, several of the executive orders signed by President Trump this week are specifically intended to eviscerate humanitarian protections enshrined in federal law and undermine due process, subjecting vulnerable families and children to grave danger. The open-ended deployment of military assets to support civil immigration enforcement along the U.S.–Mexico border is especially concerning. Meanwhile, policies barring the consideration of any humanitarian claims — including those of unaccompanied children and trafficking victims — have repeatedly failed to reduce irregular migration in a legal, sustainable, and humane manner.

Preventing any access to asylum and other protections will only endanger those who are most vulnerable and deserving of relief, while empowering gangs and other predators to exploit them. Likewise, indefinitely halting refugee resettlement is unmerited, as it is already proven to be one of the most secure legal pathways to the United States. Even non-humanitarian legal immigration and naturalized persons are targeted by these policies in support of a so-called ‘unified American identity.’ Finally, the proposed interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to limit birthright citizenship sets a dangerous precedent, contradicting the Supreme Court’s longstanding interpretation.

∗∗∗

Bp. Seitz ticks the crucial boxes and demonstrates that an ethical approach to the border — one which is respectful of the Rights of the Populace as well as of those of the Migrant — is not out of reach for a serious nation: We only need to meet the migrant in good faith.

[Del]

https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1883367731317129667

NGOs FUNNELED BILLIONS OF TAX DOLLARS INTO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION UNDER BIDEN

Turns out nonprofits weren’t just helping migrants—they were funding the crisis!

These groups took billions in taxpayer money, often without oversight, to transport and house illegal immigrants.

Data shows migrants processed by NGOs ended up in nearly every congressional district.

Sanctuary cities were hit hardest, with taxpayers footing the bill.

Under Biden, NGOs became the middlemen of illegal immigration.

Trump’s ICE is now digging into the mess he left behind.

Source: theamericanconservative, heritage, newsnationow

These NGO's will be investigated for corruption.... tax $$$ going to cartels, mobsters, and corrupt grifters.

This won't be ICE's job. FBI and DOJ will have to pick this up, in due time. State investigators, such at Texas Attorney General Paxton, are already on this.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Title: Cardinal Dolan: Vance’s remarks on bishops and immigration ‘scurrilous,’ ‘very nasty’
Source: Catholic News Agency
Link: catholicnewsagency DOT com/news/261889/cardinal-dolan-vance-s-remarks-on-bishops-and-immigration-scurrilous-very-nasty

The Money-Quotes:

“I was really disappointed with what [VP J.D. Vance] said on Face the Nation the other day. And I don’t mind telling you, somewhat hurt. This was not only harmful, this was inaccurate. You heard what he said: ‘Oh, the bishops, they’re pro-immigrant because of the bottom line, because they’re making money off this.’ That’s just scurrilous. It’s very nasty, and it’s not true,” Dolan said, speaking on his weekly SiriusXM show Conversations with Cardinal Dolan.

Dolan said the Church’s involvement in migration and refugee services is frequently at the behest of secular leaders such as mayors and governors, who he said recognize the Church’s ability to manage resources efficiently and transparently.

“You want to come look at our audits, which are scrupulously done? You think we make money caring for the immigrants? We’re losing it hand over fist … we’re not in a money-making business,” he continued.

[…]

“[From] a guy who has struck me as a gentleman and a thoughtful man, and from whom I’m still expecting great things — I hope it was an uncharacteristic moment. I thought it was a letdown,” the cardinal concluded.

∗∗∗

Cardinal Dolan gave the Catholic invocation at the Trump 2.0 Inauguration. He happily hosted Trump at the Al Smith Dinner last October. He might not be considered an archconservative, but he's a very solid conservative.

Not sure how it's possible for Vance to be blowing through his cache of goodwill this quickly, but there it is.

[Del]

+JMJ+

Not sure how it's possible for Vance to be blowing through his cache of goodwill this quickly, but there it is.

This is no impact. The USCCB, the legacy media, and the alt-left media are not making any dents.

Trump, Vance, and Homan are still winning more hearts. Trump's polling approval rating is higher than it has ever been.
================

I'm sympathetic to Cardinal Dolan's remarks. I do not believe that many bishops were grifting taxpayer money during Biden's crisis.

But for most citizens (including devout Catholics like JD Vance), the dioceses and Catholic Charities appeared to be operating just like any other NGO.... and far too many NGO's were grifting and gouging.
================

The bigger problem is that US Bishops failed to stand up strongly enough against abortion. Not a one was arrested for even a minor protest, and just one or two priests stand out has civil pro-life heroes. (Fr. Frank Pavone was force-laicized for his pro-life activism). Bishops failed to stand up and rebuke pro-abortion Democrats.
And then the bishops just rolled over passively as Democrats closed our churches.
And US bishops have done little-to-nothing to accommodate Latin Mass Catholics against Francis's suppression.
Too many bishops seem more concerned about relaxing ancient moral laws concerning the sanctity of natural marriage and sexual sins.

This is why no one even cares about what the Bishops have to say about.... well, whatever it is they are talking about. Even faithful Catholics are unconcerned with the spineless bishops.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Title: What the Catholic Church does (and doesn’t) teach about deporting migrants [Explainer]
Source: America
Link: americamagazine DOT org/politics-society/2025/01/29/catholic-teaching-deportation-criminals-249808

The Money-Quote:

But what does the Catholic Church teach about deportation? To begin with, the church recognizes the right of sovereign nations to defend their borders. In some cases, that may include deportations.

“The church is not against deportations per se, but there are several conditions that need to be in place,” according to Kevin Appleby, a senior fellow for policy and communications at the Center for Migration Studies in New York.

For example, the church insists on due process, Mr. Appleby said, and the proceedings should be transparent.

“An immigrant should have the ability to defend their presence in the country, and they can appeal a wrongful decision against them,” he said. “They should also be able to access legal representation to navigate the system.”

Expedited removal, which had been in force in the border regions but which the Trump administration expanded to cover the entire country, allows migrants to be deported without first seeing an immigration judge. According to Mr. Appleby, this limits the ability of migrants to fight deportation.

“It gives law enforcement the ability to bypass the courts and send someone home based on their own judgment,” he said.

Further, Mr. Appleby said, migrants should not be unduly detained, often need not be shackled, and family should be given notice and opportunity to find legal representation.

∗∗∗

The foregoing is, IMO, one of the best capsule summaries of the "Migrancy Nonnegotiables".

To recap:

• Due Process.
• Remain in America.
• Right to Appeal.
• Access to Legal Representation.
• If Detained, then 'Detention with Dignity'.

There may be more, but methinks they all reduce to the cohesive logic governing the above in one way or another. For example, said principles preclude any attempted preemption of Migrant encounters by barriers designed to increase — rather than designed to reduce — threats to Migrant safety or by soliciting the collusion of Foreign Nations in coordinated Human Rights violations (i.e. Crimes against Humanity).

Anything less than meeting these minima is gonna be Catholically problematic for the Admin.

[Del]

"Nonnegotiables"

You keep using that word.

[Del]

I'm not going to "defend" Trump's immigration policy. Wosbald makes some valid points, and it is good that we should have an ideal system in mind as we navigate the real world.

Practical fact is that Trump/Homan immigration policy is far closer to this ideal than Biden/Harris immigration policy. The new regime is more just for both migrants and citizens than the lawless and dangerous chaos under Biden's open border.

Voters realized this. We made the best choice, and now we must live with it.

Proclaiming the Jesuit line only results in alienating the Catholic Church from American voters. They already think that we suck.
Let's just appreciate that the Trump regime does not target us for investigations and persecution, as Biden did.