The conference said it was its first time in 12 years to invoke a “particularly urgent way of speaking” to address immigration. The body overwhelmingly approved the special message.

“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care,” the message said in part.

“Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation,” they continued. “We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.”

Both Pope Leo XIV and the late Pope Francis had expressed their concerns about immigration enforcement in the United States. Leo compared the immigration debate to abortion last month.

“Someone who says I’m against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life,” Pope Leo said. “And someone who says I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”

Homan argued that a secure border ensures the safety of Americans.

“A secure border saves lives. We’re going to enforce the law, and by doing that, we save a lot of lives,” Homan said Friday. “ICE is sending a message to the whole world.”

The second Trump administration has stepped up its immigration enforcement efforts compared to previous administrations, including Trump’s first term in the White House. With Homan at the helm, ICE has received billions in new funding and has set out across the country’s major cities in search of illegal immigrants.

The Department of Homeland Security announced late last month that the administration had deported over half a million illegal immigrants, as well as 1.6 million who had “self-deported.” Illegal border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have also plummeted to low points not seen in decades.

However, the increased immigration enforcement has stirred controversy among the American public. Mass protests have occurred in cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago. Trump deployed the National Guard earlier this year to quell the L.A. protest.

Chicago, currently under ICE operation Midway Blitz, has seen protesters gather outside immigration facilities, on the streets, and outside courthouses. Law enforcement has deployed tear gas to disperse crowds.

Homan said protesters can exercise their rights, but can’t “cross the line.”

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“If people would just look at the data and see that the vast majority of what ICE is doing is public safety threats. A lot of media say that a lot of people in ICE detention aren’t criminals — wrong,” he said.

“A lot of these people are national security threats, a lot of them don’t have criminal history records. It’s not okay to be in the country illegally. It’s a crime.”