The White House has firmly rejected a direct appeal from Florida's Catholic bishops to suspend immigration enforcement activities over the Christmas period. The appeal, issued on Monday 22 December 2025, was met with a terse response from the Trump administration, which insisted it would be 'business as usual'.
A Pastoral Appeal for a Holiday Truce
Led by Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops made a formal request to President Donald Trump. The appeal, signed by seven other bishops, argued that the administration's initial border security goals had been met and that a more targeted approach was now needed.
Archbishop Wenski stated that while the work of identifying and removing dangerous criminals had been largely accomplished, the current 'maximum enforcement approach' was sweeping up many non-criminal migrants simply seeking work. He warned that a 'climate of fear and anxiety' was now affecting not only irregular migrants but also their family members and neighbours who are in the country legally.
"Since these effects are part of enforcement operations, we request that the government pause apprehension and round-up activities during the Christmas season," Wenski wrote. "Such a pause would show a decent regard for the humanity of these families."
White House Stands Firm on Deportation Promise
In a brief, two-sentence email reply, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson rebuffed the appeal without directly acknowledging the Christmas holiday. The response focused solely on the administration's core political pledge.
"President Trump was elected based on his promise to the American people to deport criminal illegal aliens. And he’s keeping that promise," Jackson wrote, signalling no deviation from the established hardline policy.
Wenski's Advocacy and the Human Cost
Archbishop Wenski is a known advocate for migrant rights. Earlier in the year, he participated in a Georgetown University panel criticising Trump administration policies for tearing families apart and inciting fear within communities.
He has consistently highlighted the economic contributions of immigrants across key sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and construction. "Enforcement is always going to be part of any immigration policy, but we have to rationalize it and humanize it," Wenski has argued.
His advocacy extends beyond statements. Wenski has joined the 'Knights on Bikes' ministry, a Knights of Columbus initiative that prays outside detention centres like the Florida Everglades facility nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz'. After praying the rosary with bikers in scorching heat, he later celebrated Mass inside the centre, aiming to affirm the dignity of detainees in a 'dehumanizing situation'.
The stark exchange between the bishops and the White House underscores the deep and ongoing division in American society over immigration policy, even during a season traditionally focused on peace and goodwill.
