Monday, May 19, 2025
Last month the Herald featured an op-ed essay by two nuns, Mary Beth Moore and Evelyn Lamoureux, entitled, “We must protect our immigrants.” The sisters’ argument, while fully sincere, was flawed because it failed to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration.
It is the same blurring of the two immigrant classes that was evident in a recent homily I heard at a Long Island church.
I was born to an Italian Catholic mom and a non-religious dad from a Jewish background. I followed my mother’s religion and was baptized, and even went to a Catholic school in Queens through fifth grade.
While attending a Mass last month, I cringed listening to a priest who sought to shame parishioners into supporting illegal immigration. He didn’t tell us to accept illegal immigration, but he failed to distinguish between the legal and illegal variety. He threw all immigrants into the same bucket. If you supported illegal immigration, you were being a Good Samaritan. If you didn’t, you were failing to follow God’s path.
I found that to be somewhat contradictory to the rules I learned in Catholic school. There, if you cut in line in front of someone else who was waiting patiently, you’d probably be whacked on the knuckles with a ruler. Follow the rules, the nuns would say, or face the consequences.
So you may understand my bewilderment as to why the present-day leaders of the Church are now telling people from all over the world that they can ignore the rules and cut in line, in front of others who have been waiting patiently for years to enter our country the right way.
Pope Francis was not shy about blasting the Trump administration about its efforts to control the border. But border czar Tom Homan was right on the money when he pointed out the fact that the Vatican continues to have a wall in place, along with a security detail, to make sure that only those who are permitted and vetted enter the inner sanctums of Vatican City. Can it be that the Church is teaching rules for thee, but not for me? Would squatters be able to pitch tents in the Vatican and claim the area as their home? Not a chance.
Could there be some other reasons for the Church’s recent advocacy for breaking rules when it comes to immigration?
Well, here are two theories, and they both require us to follow the money. One is that the Church lost a great deal of donations and members after the sex scandal that was exposed decades ago. Importing millions of Catholics from south of the border could only help replenish some of those vacancies in church pews.
Secondly, a little known secret is that from 2021 to 2023 alone, the federal government doled out over $300 million to the Catholic Church and Catholic charities to be the conduits in caring for the millions of illegal immigrants the government allowed to come here. The present administration has expressed its desire to end that practice.
If you want to look at things from a humanitarian perspective, you can’t overlook the following dislocations presented by illegal migration. Veterans have been kicked out of housing units to make room for these migrants. Children had to give up a soccer field so it could be used to handle the mass influx of newcomers. Homelessness soared by 18 percent for individuals and 39 percent for families, due in part to the pressure that millions of new illegal immigrants placed on the housing market.
The City of New York had to shell out $10 billion to house and feed people who had no right to be here in the first place. Schools have had to absorb millions of their children, most of whom didn’t know English. Legitimate contractors wanting to pay their workers health benefits and workers comp were put out of business by those who cheated by hiring illegal day laborers. Wages for America’s working class stagnated due in part to the illegal hirings.
Here’s hoping that the Church will go back to the times I remember as a child, when it promoted compassion and caring for the less fortunate while still preaching that those seeking to enjoy our American freedoms should at least play by the rules we put in place to ensure order and fairness. Like I learned in Catholic school.
Steve Levy is president of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm. He has served as Suffolk County executive and as a state assemblyman, and is host of “The Steve Levy Radio Show.” Comments? Steve@commonsensestrategies.com.
