Transcript: Archbishop Paul S. Coakley on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Dec. 21, 2025

The next is the transcript of the interview with Paul S. Coakley, President of the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops and Oklahoma Metropolis Archbishop, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Dec. 21, 2025.

MARGARET BRENNAN:  Father, I need to ask you about this position you may have on the head of the convention of bishops. Final month, there was this pressing message. It was a really uncommon assertion addressing concern for the evolving state of affairs impacting migrants, and the language was fairly sharp in it. Quote, “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of individuals. We pray for an finish to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether or not directed at immigrants or at legislation enforcement.” What are bishops that you just discuss to seeing in parishes throughout the nation? What triggered this?

ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY: I feel it varies from place to position, for certain. So in communities with a extra dense migrant inhabitants, there may be quite a lot of concern and uncertainty, anxiousness due to the extent of rhetoric that is- that’s usually employed when addressing points round migration and the threats of deportation. So there’s a number of anxiousness, so our pastors are attempting to accompany folks, stroll with folks, reassure folks, and that is the message of the Church. And that was the rationale for our particular message in November, that we’re with you. We hear you, we’re conscious of your struggling or your fears, and we absolutely intend to accompany you throughout this tough time.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So I do know there have been bishops in locations like Charlotte, in elements of California, who’ve formally granted permission, or dispensation is the phrase used, for folks to skip Sunday mass in the event that they’re afraid they could possibly be focused by ICE. Are you really seeing a decline within the variety of folks attending mass as a result of they’re afraid they will be arrested?

ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY: We’re not seeing that right here in in Oklahoma. And I have not heard it reported broadly from my brother bishops. So I do know that that’s the case in some, some locations, however I do not assume it is as frequent, not less than right here regionally or in locations that I’ve private contact with. There is a- there’s an anxiousness, there is a concern, however I do not assume it is stored folks away in nice numbers.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, this video that you just launched actually bought a number of consideration. It actually bought ours, and it talked about being troubled by threats towards the sanctity of homes of worship in addition to hospitals and faculties. You realize, I spoke to the Vice President JD Vance final 12 months and requested him about this alteration in coverage that might permit for ICE to enter church buildings and faculties. And he actually pushed again laborious. He says that the Catholic Church receives funds to assist resettle immigrants. Thus they’re motivated by monetary and never humanitarian causes. Have you ever had any type of dialog with the Trump administration, with the Vice President to clarify what it’s you are attempting to say?

ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY: I’ve not had any private conversations at this level with both the president or the vice chairman, so I stay up for partaking with them over issues of mutual concern, and definitely, undoubtedly the query of immigration goes to come back up. I feel we’ve got alternatives to work collectively. Now we have alternatives to talk frankly with each other, so I’ll stay up for that within the close to future. 

MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively the Vice President calls himself a religious Catholic, which can also be why I ask. I imply, do you- what do you say to Catholics like him who argue that these laborious line immigration insurance policies have had a consequence that they sought, that the top justifies the means.

ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY: I do not assume we are able to ever say that the top justifies the means. Now we have to deal with everybody with respect, respect of the human dignity, dignity of each individual. There isn’t a battle essentially between advocating for protected and safe borders and treating folks with respect and dignity. We all the time should deal with folks with, with dignity, God-given dignity. The state does not award it, and the state cannot take it away. So it is, it is from the Creator. So I feel as Christians, as believers, we- that is type of a foundational bedrock factor for us, that persons are to be revered and handled with dignity, whether or not they’re documented or undocumented, whether or not they’re right here legally or illegally, they do not forfeit their human dignity.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, what’s it that you just assume is inflicting that to be a difficulty proper now? Why do you assume that there’s a lack of dignity? Are there particular insurance policies that you’re considering of if you say that?

ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY: Effectively, not essentially. I imply, I- simply to deal with folks with respect, to afford them due course of. The deportations which might be, which might be occurring across the nation can- it is instilling, as I mentioned, concern in a fairly widespread method. So I feel that is, that is one thing that issues us all, that individuals have a- have a proper to stay in, in safety and with out concern of random and deportations. I feel we’re believers, in fact, in due course of. Now we have provisions in legislation that award due course of to, to everybody. So that is what we’re wanting to emphasise.

MARGARET BRENNAN: What would you advise others, different folks of religion, to do for these immigrants?

ARCHBISHOP PAUL COAKLEY: Effectively, we’re a nation of immigrants ourselves. So I feel that is one thing that we as Individuals have to all the time come again to. We’re based upon the immigrant expertise. So I feel we should be beneficiant in welcoming immigrants. We actually have a proper and an obligation to respect borders of our nation. And I’d say, remind all of us that we’ve got a proper and an obligation to respect sovereign borders of a state, however, however we even have a duty to welcome migrants. That is type of a elementary precept in, in Catholic social instructing relating to immigration and migration. Individuals have a proper to to stay of their homeland, however, however additionally they must be allowed emigrate when situations of their homeland are unsafe and necessitate shifting to a spot the place they’ll discover peace and safety.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma Metropolis, thanks to your time right now. 

ARCHBISHOP COAKLEY: Thanks. Thanks very a lot.