(DUBUQUE) Iowa Catholic bishops on August 22, 2025, issued a joint public letter declaring immigration a moral issue and urging state and national leaders to adopt just, humane policies that respect migrants’ dignity. The statement, released through the Iowa Catholic Conference in Dubuque, answers ongoing U.S. debates over border security, asylum, and detention.
The signatories—Bishop Thomas Zinkula of Dubuque, Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Bishop Dennis Walsh of Davenport, and Bishop John Keehner of Sioux City—said recent federal actions that restrict humanitarian protections, deny asylum claims, and expand detention “disproportionately harm the most vulnerable, including families, children, and trafficking victims.”
Alongside “Pilgrims of Hope: A Pastoral Reflection on Immigration,” their August statements frame policy choices in moral terms and call Catholics across Iowa to engage lawmakers of all parties. They commit the Church to work with any elected official willing to craft effective, humane laws rooted in human dignity and family unity.
Key themes and policy guidance
In their letter, the Iowa Catholic bishops press several themes they say should guide U.S. policy:
- No law should ignore the worth of the person.
- Family unity and compassion should be prioritized over exclusion.
- Firm but humane enforcement: measures should be targeted and proportional.
They also urge due process and continued humanitarian protections for people at risk, including children and survivors of trafficking. The bishops support an earned pathway to citizenship for long‑time residents and call for expanded, efficient legal channels for migration.
The bishops add that any durable fix must address the root causes—violence, poverty, and instability—that drive people to leave home.
Respecting borders, but rejecting criminalization
The bishops acknowledge the state’s right to control borders and ensure security. At the same time, they caution against treating all immigrants as criminals.
- They oppose deploying the military for civil immigration enforcement.
- They oppose attempts to reinterpret birthright citizenship.
Warning: such steps, they say, would undercut justice and the dignity of the person.
Pastoral response and parish support
According to the Iowa Catholic Conference, the letter is part of a broader pastoral effort this summer to equip parishes and families with tools to support newcomers and to speak with lawmakers. Diocesan offices are sharing parish resources, prayer guides, and advocacy pointers through the conference’s website at https://iowacatholicconference.org.
Conference materials encourage parishes to:
– Educate communities about Church teaching on migration.
– Build advocacy teams and connect with diocesan staff for training.
– Use parish guides and action alerts to coordinate voice and action statewide.
National alignment and nonpartisan focus
While rooted in Church teaching, the message lands squarely in policy debates now stalling in Congress. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has set out six “Catholic Elements of Immigration Reform,” and Iowa’s bishops say their stance aligns with that national plan. Their focus is nonpartisan and aimed at the common good.
Those elements, which Iowa leaders echo, include:
- Human dignity: Policies must respect the worth of every person, no matter immigration status.
- Family unity: Keep families together and make family reunification a core goal.
- Humane enforcement: Security measures should be targeted and proportional, not blanket criminal treatment.
- Pathways to citizenship: Create an earned way for long‑time residents to become citizens.
- Due process and protections: Uphold due process and maintain humanitarian protections, especially for children and trafficking survivors.
- Address root causes: Support efforts that reduce violence, poverty, and instability in home countries.
Broader context and reactions
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the unified front from Iowa mirrors a wider movement among faith groups that back both border order and real protection for families. The site notes that when bishops stress earned legalization alongside enforcement, they try to bridge a debate that too often breaks into all‑or‑nothing camps.
The Iowa Catholic bishops also warn against framing migrants as a problem to be managed. They urge residents to see newcomers as neighbors and, for Catholics, as brothers and sisters in faith. That language echoes Pope Francis and long‑standing sections of the Catechism that defend the dignity of the stranger.
For people in Dubuque Catholic parishes and beyond, the practical ask is clear: contact lawmakers, support parish efforts that welcome immigrant families, and pray for fair public choices. The conference is sharing advocacy steps and education materials that local leaders can adapt for community use and for conversations with elected officials.
Resources and official information
The bishops’ statement points readers to national Catholic resources, including:
- The U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants campaign at https://justiceforimmigrants.org, which maintains backgrounders, parish toolkits, and policy updates.
- Official federal guidance on asylum at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services page on the U.S. asylum process.
Concerns about current federal actions
The new Iowa letter arrives as Congress again fails to pass broad legislation, leaving the executive branch to set much of the agenda. That has included tougher measures at the border and rules that narrow who can seek asylum inside the United States 🇺🇸. Iowa’s bishops say sweeping rules that cut off protection go too far.
At the same time, they reiterate that borders matter and that enforcement is part of the common good when carried out with care. Their letter’s language—“targeted, proportional, and humane”—is intended to reassure skeptical readers that Church leaders are not advocating open borders, but rather smart action that keeps families safe.
Why an earned pathway matters
The bishops’ emphasis on an earned path to citizenship addresses the daily reality of long‑time residents who work, raise children, and pay taxes yet have no clear way to become full members of the civic family. They argue a one‑time, structured process, paired with future legal channels, would:
- Bring order and stability.
- Integrate people contributing to communities and the economy.
- Reduce incentives for irregular migration by creating legal, efficient options.
Due process, detention, and special care
Their call for due process highlights concerns about rapid denials and the expansion of detention. The bishops stress:
- People facing life‑changing decisions should see a judge and have a fair chance to present their case.
- Children and survivors of trafficking require special protections and care.
- Rapid reduction of protections or broad detention expansions would cause disproportionate harm.
Unified leadership across Iowa
Statewide, the four bishops are a united front: Thomas Zinkula (Dubuque), William Joensen (Des Moines), Dennis Walsh (Davenport), and John Keehner (Sioux City). By signing together, they stress that the moral stakes in immigration do not stop at diocesan lines or party lines. The message is consistent across pulpits and parish halls.
For advocates and public officials, the bishops offer a framework rather than a bill. They ask lawmakers to measure each proposal against human dignity, family unity, and due process. That lens, they argue, can guide decisions on border resources, detention, and options for long‑time residents.
Iowa’s approach mirrors the broader U.S. bishops’ agenda released in January 2025, which stresses targeted enforcement, humanitarian protections, pathways to citizenship, family unity, expanded legal channels, and work on root causes. The Iowa letter says it stands with that national framework and invites lawmakers of every party to sit down and talk.
Specific concerns and cautions
Some proposals on the table—such as using troops for civil immigration enforcement or trying to narrow birthright citizenship—draw special concern from the bishops. They warn these steps would break with constitutional and moral norms.
Their message: toughness without fairness erodes trust and, in the end, fails to solve the problem.
Practical actions for parishioners
In practical terms, the bishops say parishioners can take three simple steps now:
- Contact federal and state lawmakers respectfully and ask for policies that keep families together and uphold due process.
- Join parish or diocesan efforts that welcome newcomers and share accurate information about rights and responsibilities.
- Pray for migrants and for leaders to choose paths that are just, compassionate, and effective.
These steps are accompanied by parish guides, action alerts, and other resources the conference has posted to make participation straightforward for lay leaders and clergy across Iowa.
This Article in a Nutshell
Iowa’s four Catholic bishops declared immigration a moral issue on August 22, 2025, urging humane policies: family unity, due process, earned citizenship pathways, and targeted enforcement while opposing military immigration roles and birthright reinterpretation.
