When Pope Francis supports immigrants

For millions of illegal immigrants across the world – not just the US – the actions of the Trump administration have sounded the death knell to their dreams for a better life. What happens when the so-called champion of human rights and a global superpower starts to herd and deport immigrants, many of them admittedly illegal and a big percentage of these awaiting formal legalization, having filed their citizenship papers? Other countries begin to twist arms and adopt similar bullying practices in rounding up their own illegals.

Mind you, as a citizen of a part of the world where migrant workers contribute immensely to our well-being and development, I am very respectful of their right to earn a decent and legal living. Yes, we do not condone illegal entry or stay because that is the gateway to human trafficking. Hoiwever, I firmly believe – as do many people – that how we treat our illegals is reflective of our humanity.

In a forceful and surprising letter, Pope Francis has himself supported illegal immigrants, saying “..the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness.”

It is ironic that His Holiness should voice such a stern opinion against President Trump’s methods of managing illegals, given that the Christian Far Right is the bastion of Trump’s victory.

But the focus on illegal immigration should not go unheeded even by us. As Indian Prime Minister Modi said during his visit three days ago to the White House, it is as important to bring laws into force to control human traffickers who loot desperate immigrants and trick them.

Whether we are sternly anti-illegal or vociferously pro-migration, one thing needs to be clear: we must all be anti-human trafficking.

(Captain Mahmood Al Mahmood is the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Tribune and the President of the Arab-African Unity Organisation for Relief, Human Rights and Counterterrorism)