Two SoCal bishops respond to ICE raids, but in different ways
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Two of Southern California’s largest Roman Catholic dioceses have criticized the federal government over raids and roundups of undocumented immigrants over the last few weeks.
The Los Angeles Archdiocese and San Bernardino Diocese have responded differently in tone and action. Yet both have asked the government to show restraint and empathy toward migrants.
Here is a look at how Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez and Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino have responded to a historic moment that upended the lives of countless congregants in immigrant communities they serve.
Why the church is outspoken
Combined, roughly 5 million people claim to be Catholics in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Diocese of San Bernardino, which includes Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.
About 58% of people living in the United States who were born abroad consider themselves Christian, according to findings from the Pew Research Center released this year. Of those, 30% identified as Catholics, the largest share of any denomination.
In the Los Angeles and Riverside metro areas, 28% of all Christians consider themselves Catholic, the highest of any denomination by several points, according to Pew.
What action is the San Bernardino Diocese taking
Rojas told his diocese of roughly 1 million parishioners on July 8 that they can stay home on Sundays to avoid Mass because of concerns over area federal immigration sweeps.
Rojas wrote in the decree that many churchgoers have shared “fears of attending Mass due to potential immigration enforcement action” and that “such fear constitutes a grave inconvenience that may impede the spiritual good of the faithful.”
The dispensation was announced after multiple people were arrested at or near diocese churches on June 20, including a man at Our Lady of Lourdes in Montclair, according to the National Catholic Register.
ICE officials disputed any allegation of targeting churches.
“The accusation that ICE entered a church to make an arrest [is] FALSE,” wrote Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin in an email to The Times earlier this month. “The illegal alien chose to pull into the church parking lot [and] officers then safely made the arrest.”
Rojas wrote on Facebook that he respected and appreciated law enforcement’s role in keeping “communities safe from violent criminals,” but added that “authorities are now seizing brothers and sisters indiscriminately, without respect for their right to due process and their dignity as children of God.”
What’s going on in Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced plans to bolster delivery of hot meals, groceries and prescription medicines to parishioners living in fear of deportation amid ongoing enforcement raids.
Immigrants targeted by raids are “good, hard-working men and women” who are “making important contributions to our economy,” Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez said in a statement.
“Now they are afraid to go to work or be seen in public for fear that they will get arrested and be deported,” he said.
Yannina Diaz, a spokesperson for the archdiocese, said she was unaware of any arrests made on Archdiocese of Los Angeles property. She also said Gomez was not considering issuing a dispensation for its congregants yet.
In an open letter, Gomez wrote that he was “deeply disturbed” by the detentions and called on the government to reform the immigration process.
We’ll continue to follow how the church reacts and adapts to the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
The week’s biggest stories
Crime, courts and policing
- Access denied: L.A. County sheriff, watchdog clash over deputy killing investigations.
- GloRilla’s home was targeted by burglars. She says it’s ‘crazy’ that she was arrested instead.
- California teacher stabbed in neck while on Italian vacation is returning home.
- Sex offender allegedly sniffed a woman’s buttocks at Burbank store — again.
Immigration policy and raids
- Feds charge SoCal medical workers with interfering in ICE raid.
- Fear of ICE raids is making heat intolerable for Southern California families.
- Seeking the elusive path for immigrants to legally come to U.S.: ‘People are dying in line.’
Los Angeles fires and rebuilding
- They are still discovering bodies in Altadena 6 months after fire. Are there other victims?
- Edison’s plan to pay Eaton fire victims could mean less litigation, less compensation.
- Months after the Jan. 7 fires, L.A.’s evacuation plans remain untested.
Educational policy
- Billions in withheld grant money for schools to be released, federal officials say.
- Big win for charter schools as court strikes down L.A. Unified policy.
More big stories
- Caitlin Clark rookie card brings $660,000 at auction, nearly doubling previous women’s record.
- Singer Cleo Laine, regarded by many as Britain’s greatest jazz voice, dies at 97.
- Amid widespread measles outbreak, infectious traveler confirmed at LAX, nearby hotel.
- Trump ordered purge of ‘unpatriotic’ signage from national parks. How one California spot complied.
This week’s must reads
As rumors swirl around Legendary’s reported interest in acquiring Lionsgate, studios and film libraries are still attracting buyers, even as box office languishes behind pre-pandemic levels.
More great reads
- Can Rufus’ dog food make him live forever?
- How do you know when it’s the right time to say goodbye to a beloved dog?
- De-aged stars, cloned voices, resuscitated dead icons: AI is changing the art and business of acting.
- Cane sugar Coke? Bringing back the Redskins? Trump’s little gripes serve a larger purpose.
- Opinion: Here’s the number that could halt the AI revolution in its tracks.
- Opinion: Trump’s order on homelessness gets it all wrong, and here’s why.
For your weekend
Going out
- Day trip: Fierce pride is at the core of the Chumash Museum, a worthwhile day trip from L.A.
- Movie Review: In Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s ‘Cloud,’ an online hustler gets his merciless, real-world comeuppance.
- Fido and Me: The best dog-friendly patios to take your pup this summer.
Staying in
- Book Review: New Jonathan Demme biography spotlights director’s clashes with powerful stars — and his humanity.
- Streaming Review: ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ brings back Adam Sandler and his longtime collaborator for another round.
- 🧑🍳 Here’s a recipe for ole Fido. Here’s “Rufu Hash” raw dog food blend.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff writer
Diamy Wang, homepage intern
Izzy Nunes, audience intern
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
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