Upholding human dignity in immigration policies

Human dignity is a cornerstone of Catholic social teaching, especially in the context of immigration.

Mar 20, 2025

By Lavoisier Fernandes
It's been 25 years since I moved to the United Kingdom. On a recent visit to my home state of Goa in western India, I talked with our gardener, who had migrated to Goa from Bihar in northern India with his young family.

Though he and I had different journeys, we found common ground as immigrants, contributing to filling labor shortages, addressing economic gaps, and adding cultural diversity in our respective locations.

Migration continues to shape the world, and migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants have become some of the most polarising and emotionally charged issues of our time. The discussions often ignite debates over job security, cultural identity, brain drain, and national security.

Discussions in wealthier nations often focus on the benefits immigrants bring and the perceived challenges they pose. Some view immigrants as a strain on resources, unfairly associating them with criminality, while others acknowledge them as vital contributors to economic and cultural development.

In India, this debate has even permeated popular culture. The film Dunki highlights the term “donkey flights,” a Punjabi term for illegal immigration. The film sheds light on the struggles of individuals seeking a better life in countries like the US, Canada, and the UK, reflecting a universal desire to escape hardship.

This issue resonates across societies, regardless of the specifics of each migration story.

Recently, the debate around migration reached a new level of controversy when the US began deporting illegal immigrants in shackles to countries like Colombia and India, sparking outrage and widespread discussion.

In the US, around 725,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants were reported in 2022, accounting for 6.6 percent of the total undocumented population. This placed India as the third-largest source of illegal immigration, behind Mexico and El Salvador.

According to a 2019 Pew Research Centre study, an estimated 3.9 to 4.8 million unauthorized immigrants were in Europe in 2017, making up about 1 percent of the continent’s population.

These statistics highlight the growing complexity of the issue and the pressure on countries to balance national security with humanitarian concerns.

The debate has polarised political discourse and sparked internal debate within the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church does not support an open border policy as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2241). It asserts that political authorities have the right to put in place "juridical conditions" on accepting immigrants, which includes the right to safeguard its national borders.

However, it tells prosperous nations to accept migrants seeking security and a livelihood as much as possible. In return, the immigrant must respect the host country’s spiritual heritage and obey its laws.

Human dignity is foundational in immigration 
Human dignity is a cornerstone of Catholic social teaching. It is based on the biblical teaching that everyone is created in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:27). Every human person possesses inherent dignity, regardless of immigration status.

The Church also emphasizes the fundamental rights of all human persons (Pacem in Terris 9-11)  to life. It stresses every human being's right to "bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services."

Is deportation immoral?
The Catholic Church (CCC 2241) does not explicitly label deportation as immoral. It suggests that Catholics cannot support any immigration or deportation policies that:

• Dehumanize immigrants — whether legal or illegal — through hostile rhetoric or by implying they are anything less than children of God, made in His image and likeness.

• Detain immigrants indefinitely or deny them basic human necessities while in custody.

• Permanently separate families, particularly children, from their parents unless the child is at risk of abuse.

• Use excessive violence in law enforcement, except when necessary to protect lives.

Church’s alternatives
The Catholic Church, based on human dignity and social justice principles, presents various alternatives to deportation, as Pope Francis highlighted in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti on fraternity and social friendship.

Pathway to Legal Status
The Church supports creating pathways for undocumented immigrants to gain legal status, fostering stability and integration for those who have lived in a country for a long time and contributed to society.

Family Reunification
The Church advocates policies that prioritize family unity, ensuring families are not separated by deportation and facilitating reunification for those in different countries.

Asylum and Refugee Protection
The Church calls for strong protections for asylum seekers and refugees, emphasizing the moral obligation to offer safety and support to those fleeing persecution and violence.

Community-Based Alternatives
The Church supports community-based alternatives to detention, allowing individuals to stay in their communities while their immigration cases are processed and providing legal support and resources.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform
The Church advocates for addressing the root causes of migration, such as poverty and violence, through comprehensive reform and investments in development in migrants' home countries.

Education and Advocacy
The Church encourages education and advocacy to raise awareness about immigrants' challenges and promote policies that treat them with dignity and respect.

The lessons of the Holy Family — vulnerability, resilience, and hope — should guide our approach to immigration policies. As Pope Francis urges, we must treat migrants with dignity, respect, and compassion, upholding their human rights regardless of their legal status.

Immigration is not just a political issue but a moral one, deeply tied to our shared humanity. Only through policies that balance the needs of nations with the rights and dignity of migrants can we hope to foster a global society grounded in respect and mutual care.--ucanews.com