A new piece by The New York Times sheds a light on the increasing pressure faith-based groups that assist migrants are facing from far-right extremists.
The sprawling investigation focuses mainly on the Sand Diego chapter of Catholic Churches, a nonprofit organization which, to quote their website, helps "people without homes, those who are unemployed or underemployed, children who are hungry or malnourished, elderly persons who are isolated, vulnerable migrants and refugees on the move, families recovering from natural disasters, pregnant women and new mothers in need, and persons with disabilities who have inadequate care."
The report details recent a series of episodes in which impostors, disguised as everything from a pest exterminator to an actual migrant woman, attempted to gain access to the San Diego hotel run by the organization. Subsequently, the shelter received a wave of menacing calls, with one voicemail calling the chief executive "scum" and "not really Christian," and another message accusing the nonprofit of profiting from an illegal operation.
The faux exterminator was identified as James O'Keefe, a right-wing provocateur formerly associated with Project Veritas, a group known for attempting to entrap political opponents through disguises and concealed cameras. The vitriol followed O'Keefe's posting of videos on X in March, claiming without evidence that the shelter was an illegal holding site for trafficked women and children.
For decades, Catholic Charities and other faith-based organizations have been instrumental in helping federal authorities and local governments manage migrant influxes, supported by bipartisan funding even during the Trump administration.
However, since President Biden took office in 2021 these organizations have increasingly been targets of conspiracy theories and attacks from far-right activists accusing them of promoting an invasion to displace white Americans and engaging in child trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Republican members have also gotten in on the act. Back in 2022, four Republican House members, sent a letter in late to Catholic Charities, and three other faith-based NGOs, accusing them of "fueling the drastic increase in illegal aliens crossing the southern border." Catholic Churches forcefully denied the allegations, labelling them as "fallacious and "factually inaccurate", adding that their "humanitarian care (food, clean clothes, bathing facilities, overnight respite) is provided legally."
As the NYT reports, Catholic Charities and similar organizations play a critical role in assisting migrants, seniors, and others in need across the country. They are often the first point of contact for migrant families released from federal custody, providing temporary shelter before they travel to join relatives or friends. However, their role has made them targets for those capitalizing on public anxiety about immigration.
Back in February, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the El Paso-based Annunciation House, saying that the Catholic nongovernmental organization (NGO) should have its operation license in the state revoked for allegedly facilitating illegal entry to the United States, harboring illegal migrants, human smuggling, and operating a stash house.
The lawsuit was rebuked weeks later by El Paso District Court Judge Francisco Dominguez claiming that "there was no attempt whatsoever to negotiate by the attorney general, which is what gives the court rise for concern that there are ulterior political motives here taking place that go outside of what the law requires."
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
