American bishops condemn ‘Make America Great Again’ rhetoric: ‘It is racist’

Rome. “This is racist and sinful rhetoric, which seeks to cause harm and sow division. It is disturbing that it comes from a candidate for public office. He should apologise.” These words were written by Michael Olson, Bishop of Fort Worth, Texas. The message was addressed to Bo French, the Republican candidate for the post of Texas Railroad Commissioner, a position up for election this coming November. French, in the midst of his election campaign, posted an image showing Indian students (Asian Indians) celebrating a victory by the University of Texas American football team. “That’s not right,” French remarked: “I’d heard that this year’s graduation ceremony at the University of Texas was like that. I didn’t believe it. Now it’s clear that the problem is far worse than anyone could have imagined.” Senator John Cornyn, who is stepping down and is not standing for re-election because Trump pitted him against Ken Paxton – the controversial Texas Attorney General, who is more aligned with ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) ideas – in the primaries, came to the bishop’s defence. Cornyn, who did not take the internal coup well, reacted on X: “This is the Republican candidate for a state-level office. Will other elected Republican officials condemn intolerance and racism, or will they turn a blind eye whilst they are being normalised? This is how major political parties destroy themselves. Sad.” French was quick to respond, labeling Cornyn a RINO (i.e., a Republican in name only) and reiterating that Texas’s institutions have been overrun by illegal immigrants and foreign nationals. Instead, America must come first. This episode is merely the latest illustration of the tense relationship between the Trump camp and the Catholic episcopate. The issue of immigration is driving a deep wedge between them, more so than any other issue and despite the President’s springtime broadside against the Pope. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has published the document ‘Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship’, a sort of guide designed to steer the diverse electorate ahead of the November election. The Archbishop of Miami, Thomas G. Wenski, observed that there must be just one watchword: ‘Tell people to vote’. This must be done because “a significant proportion of American citizens do not vote, and we must tell everyone that we must be faithful citizens by exercising our right to vote”. The elephant in the room is, of course, the issue of migration. Archbishop Wenski also said during a press conference that the issue of migrants “is not a struggle the Church only entered into the day before yesterday”. 

“We may – added Bishop Wenski – have our differences on liturgical or other matters, but within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops we vote almost unanimously in favour of protecting immigrants and for a more comprehensive reform of failed and inadequate immigration policies. We are doing what we have always done.” Of course, the problem is that a strong headwind is blowing against the bishops and what “has always been done”. A priest from Maryland, who arrived from El Salvador decades ago and was present at the same event at which the Bishop of Miami spoke, said that “there is a great deal of fear. Never before – and I have lived in the United States for almost thirty years – have I had to carry my passport just to go round the corner. Because I, too, am a target, even though I am a priest.” The latest point of contention concerns the White House’s decision to revoke temporary protected status for Haiti with effect from 27 July. As a result, forced repatriation immediately began for numerous citizens of a country that has been ravaged by humanitarian crises and internal conflicts for decades. For this reason, the president of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Paul S. Coakley, took pen and paper and wrote directly to Trump: “I implore you to refrain from further endangering innocent lives by halting, at this time, the deportation of large numbers of people to Haiti, especially whilst there is still no adequate system in place to ensure their safe and orderly reception and reintegration.”