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U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the need for a pragmatic and orderly approach to immigration policy during a conference on migration held on September 30. The event was co-hosted by Catholic organizations.
"Pragmatism is an extraordinarily important element of advocacy and policymaking, and we have to understand the fact that the American public does want, does expect and does demand the delivery of order," stated Mayorkas.
The annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference was organized by the Migration Policy Institute, Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., and Georgetown University Law Center. Participants discussed trends in migration policy and current political issues related to immigration.
Recent polls indicate a growing number of Americans are critical of both illegal immigration and immigration overall. A July Gallup poll revealed that 55% of U.S. adults favor reducing immigration, up from 41% the previous year. This marked the first time since 2005 that a majority expressed this sentiment.
The conference took place amid an election cycle where former President Donald Trump, along with his running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, who is Catholic, campaigned on mass deportations while spreading unsubstantiated claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.
Catholic leaders have criticized calls for mass deportations as contrary to teachings from the Second Vatican Council's "Gaudium et Spes," which condemns actions like deportation as harmful to society—a stance affirmed by St. John Paul II in two encyclicals.
However, reactions among Catholic leaders to the Biden administration's immigration policies have been mixed, with some criticizing efforts to raise asylum application thresholds.
Mayorkas acknowledged challenges over the past three years: "I would respectfully submit that at least at particular times over the past three years, we haven’t had order. I do not consider the situation in Del Rio to have been at times, orderly."
Border officials noted a decrease in crossings following previous surges. On the same day as the conference, President Joe Biden expanded restrictions on asylum applications, contributing to reduced illegal crossings at the southern border.
Mayorkas also reflected on changes in his perspective: "I think that what we have experienced has caused me to question what changes to the asylum system are necessary, legislatively and administratively, to address the realities of migration that exist in the world now."
An analysis by Migration Policy Institute published before the conference suggested that perceptions of chaos at both U.S.-Mexico border areas and cities hosting migrants have influenced public opinion and shifted positions among both Republican and Democratic officials.
Advocates present at the conference called for equitable migration policies globally amid rising numbers of migrants driven by conflict, violence, and climate change—estimated as high as 3.5% of global population.
Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @kgscanlon.
