Bishop’s Border Dialogue Reflection by Tom Costanza

Executive Director Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops October 5, 2024

This was my second visit, this time as part of a border dialogue with Border Patrol, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors, and Catholic Charities and here are some reflections.  The same Jesuits were still ministering with zeal. The Casa de Migrante, operated by the Daughter’s of Charity, continue to provide a safe haven for those migrants waiting in Reynosa, Mexico for their asylum appointment which is the legal process.

Many of the children observed had not been in formal school for months as their families made the journey… but the Daughter’s saw to it that they had “street school”. They remain in the shelter for months until they can get an appointment and have a sponsor in the US that pays for their trip to their city of destination.

There seems to be more drug cartel shake downs according to the Jesuits. As the migrants get off the buses the cartels capture them, bring them to a site, rape the girls, and shake them down for their money. Many are staying in Mexico City where it is “safer” than making the trek to the North to legal ports of entry. Some of the slowdown is because the Mexican government is stopping the flow and deporting them back.

Several migrants from Haiti were crying as the Custom Border Patrol App had widespread system errors but the Jesuits were there calmly helping them. One lady had to escape an abusive situation, and this pushed her over the edge. The unrelenting heat did not seem to bother them. The CBP One App is the only way out.

The other shelter operated in McAllen, Tx. by Catholic Charities was much less crowded than last year. The families were mostly from Honduras. The Jesuits said Mass with high participation, but many were not Catholic, but the children knew every part of the Mass verbatim. The Border Patrol recognized the critical work of Catholic Charities in helping them implement the legal immigration process with dignity. McAllen is the 3^rd safest city in the nation and a port of entry for legal immigration to the US.

The Mass is central to shelter life, but in the midst of uncertainty and heat, it was hopeful. It would seem to me that hope was driving them to risk it all.  It appears to be even harder now for pregnant women to cross the border.

One shelter in Reynosa had been without power for a week since the local Mexican government does not want power restored to the shelter which houses the migrants. That is quite a contrast. Even the local Mexican authorities did not want to provide basic services. How must the migrants feel that they are not welcomed? All the more reason for the Church to accompany them. At one shelter, they fed us the best homemade tortilla and were very cheerful.

What I learned was the deep hope embodied in their spirit. A hope that can only come from their deep faith. There are harsh realities for a family to endure to make this journey of faith. At the shelter in McAllen, one father told the story that the Venezuelan government wanted him to “provide” 10 votes for each child, he has three children, and if he could not…his children would “disappear”. He left and made the dangerous journey. The Church is listening, praying and accompanying… as Jesus would.