LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Wednesday launched a new program to help immigrants facing hardship due to recent immigration enforcement actions in the region.
At a news conference held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in South LA, Archbishop José H. Gomez introduced the Family Assistance Program, which received an initial $50,000 donation from developer Rick Caruso.
The program aims to help Archdiocese parishes provide meals, groceries and medicine to families impacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. The Cardinal McIntyre Fund will oversee distribution of the aid.
“Many of our friends and family, our neighbors and fellow parishioners are afraid and anxious,” Gomez said. “These are good hardworking men and women. People of faith; people who have been in this country for a long time and are making important contributions to our economy.
“Now, they are afraid to go to work or be seen in public in fear that they will be arrested,” he added.
Gomez said the Archdiocese is working with LA city officials to help migrants, and he urged federal lawmakers to reform the nation’s immigration system.
Caruso, a former mayoral candidate who ran against Karen Bass in 2022, said he and his wife felt compelled to help during such a difficult time for migrant families.
“We’re going to open up with a $50,000 gift to this fund to help those who are in need, and there will be a matching gift for another $50,000 once we get that number,” Caruso said.
He cited his family’s immigrant background as motivation.
“What we have today are thousands of people who are waking up everyday with fear,” Caruso said. “They’re worried about sending their children to school. They may have lost somebody who was taken because of these raids, and can no longer pay for rent or pay for food.”
He said the goal of the program is to prevent vulnerable families from becoming homeless.
Donations can be made to lacatholics.org/immigrant-support.
This is the opportunity for all the Democrats to put their money where their mouth is. If they are truly concerned about all the illegal immigrants they need to help financially. After seeing how Mayor Bass and Governor Newson have dealt with the homeless situation, which is what Bass, promised she would do. First by changing the name to on house instead of homeless, obviously she doesn’t know it’s the same thing. The other way was to make all the cities taken homeless people so they could deal with that so I wouldn’t count on them helping the illegal immigrants. However, it’s all political talk to get elected. They should be ashamed of themselves, but they’re not because they’re only in it for themselves.