Vance Suggests Catholic Church Helps Immigrants to Boost Its ‘Bottom Line’

Vice President J.D. Vance attacked the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which came out against some executive orders signed by President Donald Trump, including ones that would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enter churches and schools. Vance accused the church of helping immigrants to help “their bottom line.”

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), released a statement calling many of Trump’s executive orders “deeply troubling.”

“Some provisions contained in the Executive Orders, such as those focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and the environment, are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us,” Broglio said while also cheering Trump’s executive order declaring that there are only two genders.

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During Vance’s first television interview since becoming vice president, he addressed the USCCB’s statement. “As a practicing Catholic, I was actually heartbroken by that statement,” he said. “And I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line? We’re going to enforce immigration law. We’re going to protect the American people.”

Vance also said he supports the idea of I.C.E. entering churches and schools because “you have to go and get that person to protect the public safety.”

According to the USCCB, the conference is “the largest refugee resettlement agency in the world.” They partner with the government and help migrants and refugees “integrate successfully into their new communities,” providing services including assistance finding housing and employment, legal aid, English classes, and reunification with family members.

Vance, who was raised protestant but identified as an atheist in early adulthood, converted to Catholicism in 2019. When asked in 2021 why he chose that denomination, he said, “I really liked that the Catholic Church was just really old.”

The Trump administration’s relationship with bishops is off to a rocky start. Last week, President Donald Trump attacked Right Reverend Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, who asked Trump to have “mercy” on LGBTQ+ children.

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“I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” she said.

“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Budde preached.

Trump wrote on Truth Social following the service: “The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA.”

“She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!” he added.

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