Archbishop of Oklahoma City on immigration and policies

(CBS, KYMA) - Paul Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday about immigration and policies.

According to Brennan, there was an urgent message from the bishops across the country where they addressed concern for the situation impacting migrants, while adding: "We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

When asked what the bishops he talked to regarding what they're seeing in parishes around the country, and what triggered it, Archbishop Coakley said:

"I think it varies from place to place, for sure. So in communities with a more dense migrant population, there is a great deal of fear and uncertainty, anxiety because of the level of rhetoric that is- that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation. So there's a lot of anxiety, so our pastors are trying to accompany people, walk with people, reassure people, and that's the message of the Church. And that was the reason for our special message in November, that we're with you. We hear you, we're aware of your suffering or your fears, and we fully intend to accompany you during this difficult time."

Brennan then said bishops in places like Charlotte, and in parts of California, have been formally granted permission for people to skip Sunday mass if they're afraid they could be targeted by ICE.

This prompted her to ask the archbishop if he is actually seeing a decline in the number of people attending mass out of fear they could be arrested, to which Coakley said:

"We're not seeing that here in Oklahoma. And I haven't heard it reported widely from my brother bishops. So I know that that is the case in some, some places, but I don't think it's as common, at least here locally or in places that I have personal contact with. There's an anxiety, there's a fear, but I don't think it's kept people away in great numbers."

Brennan then brought her interview with Vice President JD Vance earlier this year, where she asked him about a change in policy where ICE can enter churches and schools, and the vice president said the Catholic Church receives funds to help resettle immigrants, and that they are motivated by financial and not humanitarian reasons.

This led Brennan to ask Coakley what does he say to Catholics, like Vice President Vance, who argue "that these hard line immigration policies have had a result that they sought, that the end justifies the means," and the archbishop said:

"I don't think we can ever say that the end justifies the means. We have to treat everyone with respect, respect of the human dignity, dignity of every person. There is no conflict necessarily between advocating for safe and secure borders and treating people with respect and dignity. We always have to treat people with, with dignity, God-given dignity. The state doesn't award it, and the state can't take it away. So it's, it's from the Creator. So I think as Christians, as believers, we- that's kind of a foundational bedrock thing for us, that people are to be respected and treated with dignity, whether they are documented or undocumented, whether they are here legally or illegally, they don't forfeit their human dignity."

To watch more of Brennan's interview with Coakley, click here.