Church and state: How Catholic social teaching confronts immigration enforcement

This explainer series, Catholic Doctrine on Immigration , explores how the teaching of faith and Scriptures intersect with immigration policy, focusing on the role of Milwaukee’s Catholic Church in responding to enforcement, labor dynamics, and family separation. Through detailed reporting across legal, economic, and pastoral contexts by Milwaukee Independent staff members, the series examines how Church teaching shapes institutional action and informs the Church’s engagement on national immigration issues. mkeind.com/catholicimmigration

For decades, Catholic social teaching has offered a consistent moral critique of U.S. immigration policy, particularly in response to enforcement strategies that prioritize punishment over human dignity.

As federal crackdowns have intensified an