In celebration of Refugee Week (17th – 23rd June,) Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) has released a statement calling for politicians to uphold human dignity when considering migration policies in England and Wales.
The statement, published on 13th June, encourages Catholics and the wider society to advocate for a “just and humane asylum system that upholds the human dignity of migrants, protects refugees, and defends their right to seek asylum.”
Bishop Paul McAleenan, the lead bishop for Migrants and Refugees, welcomed the statement by saying: “CSAN’s open letter serves as a timely reminder that we must stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who flee wars and seek sanctuary. We call upon our politicians to ensure that their dignity is upheld and their rights to asylum are respected.”
He added: “I have been fortunate to hear so many heartwarming stories about the tireless work that the Catholic community here, in England and Wales, has done to help and welcome refugees in their communities. Our response to migrants and refugees must be firmly rooted in Catholic social teaching and the innate worth of every human person.”
Reflecting on the upcoming General Election, Bishop Paul urged Catholics and people of goodwill voting “to think about the policies our candidates are proposing regarding migration and to ask whether their policy proposals keep human dignity at the heart of our immigration system.”
The statement is available on CSAN’s website: https://www.csan.org.uk/news/csan-statement-for-refugee-week-2024/
