September 02, 2015
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput has quite a bit on his plate with the upcoming papal visit, but that didn't stop him from taking aim at the nation's top executive and someone trying to obtain that office on the issue of immigration.
Chaput gave an address on the subject during a panel discussion Tuesday, and the archdiocese published his remarks on its website Wednesday.
In his comments, Chaput urged taking a look at the human aspect of immigration policies and how they impact families, specifically targeting President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Regarding Trump's controversial remarks and proposals, Chaput said he had turned the debate "ugly with a great deal of belligerent bombast."
He denounced the perennial GOP poll leader's call to end birthright citizenship, claiming the policy is a constitutional right.
"Some in public life – notably, but not only, Donald Trump — have called for an end to birthright citizenship," Chaput said in the address. "This is a profoundly bad idea. It plays on our worst fears and resentments. And it undermines one of the pillars of the American founding and national identity."
Trump, unashamedly, disagrees.
How crazy - 7.5% of all births in U.S. are to illegal immigrants, over 300,000 babies per year. This must stop. Unaffordable and not right!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2015
Chaput also called on Obama to end a pattern of deportations, citing reports that his administration has kicked out more than two million undocumented immigrants by 2013 since taking office.
"This brutally affects immigrant families — especially those with children who are U.S. citizens," Chaput said.
The archbishop made a point to reference the position of Pope Francis, who is coming to Philadelphia at the end of September.
Francis, who is also stopping in the District of Columbia during his U.S. stay, is expected to urge congress to focus on opening doors instead of building walls when it comes to immigrants during an address, according to USA Today.
