Minneapolis Bishops Call for Unity After Tense Immigration Raids

When families become too frightened to go to church, something needs to change. That's the message Archbishop Bernard Hebda delivered at a special Mass of Solidarity with Migrants in St. Paul, Minnesota on February 27, 2026.

The service brought together senior Catholic leaders, including three cardinals and 30 bishops from across the country. They came to support a community still reeling from Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement effort that arrested more than 4,000 people in the Twin Cities area.

Archbishop Hebda spoke candidly about his own anger at seeing immigrant families too scared to attend Mass, go to work, or take their children to school. "I've been angry when I've felt helpless or unable to find the right words," he told the gathered crowd at the University of St. Thomas chapel.

But his message wasn't about staying angry. Instead, he called for what he termed "compunction of the heart," a recognition of our shared humanity that makes healing possible.

The Mass came at a critical moment. The operation, which peaked with 4,000 combined federal agents, also saw the deaths of two protesters and reports of poor treatment of detainees. Anti-ICE demonstrations followed.

The Ripple Effect

Cardinal Robert McElroy framed the challenge using Pope Francis' image of the Church as a field hospital. "Everyone is wounded and everyone needs healing," he said, including immigrant families, police, immigration agents, and the families of those who died.

That inclusive vision of healing extended to surprising places. The bishops called for compassion not just for migrants but for immigration enforcement officers themselves, recognizing that entire communities carry trauma from tense confrontations.

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Pope's representative to the United States, praised the bishops' support for migrants as a continuation of Pope Leo XIV's vision. Cardinal Joseph Tobin reminded listeners that ultimate loyalty belongs to God, not political divisions.

Archbishop Hebda encouraged people to focus on what they can control: their own hearts and words. He quoted Pope Leo's Lenten message calling for kindness and respect in families, workplaces, social media, and political debates.

The Mass drew seminarians and principals from inner-city Catholic schools, showing the church's commitment to standing with vulnerable communities. It was a visible demonstration that faith communities can create space for dialogue even when tensions run high.

In a nation where immigration debates often generate more heat than light, these church leaders modeled a different path. They acknowledged legitimate anger while insisting that lasting solutions require moving beyond it toward genuine reconciliation.