El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz in Washington to advocate for 'Dreamers,' immigrants, border

El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz has been in the nation’s capital this week advocating on behalf of immigrants and border communities.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso spoke with members of Congress on Monday, took part in a march and preached during the celebration of a Mass.

“Stand for something,” Seitz told a group of lawmakers in Congress, according to a tweet from the Hope Border Institute. “Don’t be guided by the political morass in Washington.”

Monday was the original deadline set by the Trump administration for Congress to extend protection for "Dreamers" into law. The federal courts, however, have ordered the federal government to continue taking renewal applications under the original Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program started by the Obama administration.

“For us, this is not a matter of being involved in politics, but rather, it's the church being the church and bringing our message to the place where decisions are made,” Seitz told the El Paso Times on Tuesday in a phone interview from Washington.

Seitz said he met with Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, as well as with representatives from Texas Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s office, and participated in a legislative briefing with some 50 interns and aides from both the House and the Senate.

“We were very touched by people who are wrestling with this issue in their conscience,” Seitz said. “Even those on the side of those that are calling for more restrictions on immigration are wrestling with the issue that there’s a need for compassion in legislation.”

Seitz said he will continue to tell the story of the border, of immigrants and of refugees and will continue to pray that elected officials will find a way to deal “justly” with them.

“I had no illusions that I would come here to Washington and the tone would automatically change. But the fact is we can’t tire; we have to keep speaking and standing up for the most vulnerable,” he said, adding that he wants immigrants to know that he and the church stand with them “come hell or high water.”

Seitz also spoke during a breakfast Tuesday in Washington. He discussed the militarization of the border under the Trump administration, the criminalization of asylum seekers, the proposal for a controversial border wall and children of undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers.

The breakfast was hosted by the Hope Border Institute and Bread for the World, a nonpartisan Christian group that works to end hunger.

“God’s dream is for every child and every family to enjoy safety and security,” Seitz said in a news release. “In my ministry as a bishop on the border, I have seen how the aspirations and hard work of Dreamers have renewed everyone’s faith in the American dream and the hope of reform that keeps families together and protects the vulnerable who seek refuge at the border.”

Dylan Corbett, the executive director of the Hope Border Institute, said Seitz “takes the Gospel mandate to be in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable seriously.”

“We continue to be inspired by his vision that border communities can lead the way in building a more just society and in getting the job done on immigration reform,” Corbett added.

David Burge may be reached at 546-6126; dburge@elpasotimes.com; @dburge1962 on Twitter. Cindy Ramirez may be reached at 546-6151; cramirez@elpasotimes.com; @EPTCindyRamirez on Twitter.