West Virginia bishop compares immigrants to Jesus and Mary fleeing to Egypt

President Donald Trump received a rare rebuke from the Catholic Church after the Bishop of Charleston released a lengthy public statement condemning the U.S. immigration system, slamming the president’s mass deportation efforts while crediting former President George W. Bush‘s “acceptable” plans.

Bishop Mark Brennan, who presides over the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston encompassing all of West Virginia, said America was “built on the backs of men and women who came from other countries, whether freely or in chains.”

“Now we see our government adopting harsh measures to deport as many immigrants as possible, often without distinguishing between true criminals and law-abiding persons.”

“A government that says it wants to help families is willing to separate immigrant parents from their children. A government that oversees the economy wants to expel millions of workers upon whom the economy depends,” Brennan went on.

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The prelate said some parishioners have spoken to him about their support for Trump during the 2024 campaign over his pledge of a secure border that is now waning due to a “wholesale assault on the majority of immigrants…”

“You expected a laser beam approach, not a floodlight,” Brennan said.

The bishop compared some immigrants’ plight to Matthew 2, which describes how Mary and Joseph fled Israel with an infant Jesus Christ.

“Get up and take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you. For, Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him,” that Scripture reads.

“Our Church looks at the person, not his or her legal status, and, following Christ’s teaching and example, reaches out to help the immigrant,” Bishop Brennan continued.

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“A person is more important than legal status. Even prisoners in jail are fed, clothed and have their health problems addressed, at least in well-run prisons.”

He went on to praise the work Catholic Charities does to help migrants, adding that illegal entry into the U.S. is on the same misdemeanor statutory level as loitering and shoplifting.

Hearkening back to the 19th century, Brennan noted the Fugitive Slave Act had been used to “calm…