A man starts saying the rosary as he is lead by a priest outside the governor's mansion Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.
San Diego, California – About a dozen religious leaders from across the San Diego area visited federal immigration court on Friday to show solidarity with migrants facing legal proceedings, many of whom are affected by policies from the Trump-era immigration crackdown.
The visit was organized by the Rev. Scott Santarosa, a Jesuit priest and pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Diego. He described the effort as a way to provide a visible, compassionate presence for vulnerable migrants during an uncertain and often intimidating process.
“People are longing for people of faith to walk with vulnerable migrants,” Santarosa said. “Our goal is not trying to prevent arrests — but we can witness it.”
Some migrants have reportedly been arrested at immigration court by federal authorities. Santarosa said the religious leaders were there not to interfere with legal proceedings but to observe and support those facing deportation and other immigration-related decisions. “The purpose of the visitation is more than anything just to provide some sense of presence,” he added.
The court visit followed a Mass held at San Diego’s Catholic Cathedral, part of a day of observance for World Refugee Day. Clergy across the diocese had been encouraged to hold Masses in their parishes to pray for migrants and refugees. Friday’s central Mass included prayers led by Bishop Michael Pham, who served as the highest-ranking clergy member in attendance.
Pham, himself a former refugee from Vietnam, came to the United States as an unaccompanied minor. He is one of the first bishops appointed by Pope Leo XIV following the pontiff’s recent election. His participation underscored the Church’s continuing emphasis on migrant and refugee issues, particularly amid rising concerns about the treatment of undocumented individuals in the region.
Santarosa said the idea for the court visit grew out of a diocesan planning session for World Refugee Day, as church leaders looked for tangible ways to support the migrant community beyond prayer.
He hopes the presence of religious leaders in court will bring some comfort to the many San Diego residents—both recent arrivals and long-time community members—who live in fear due to their immigration status.
“They’re feeling like people just want them to disappear,” Santarosa said. He recounted one woman’s words to him, spoken in Spanish: “Father, we feel as if we were hunted, as if we were animals.”
The clergy said they plan to continue court visits in the coming months.
