“For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35).
All of us (except Native Americans) who live in the United States are descended from immigrants.
My own ancestors came from Ireland, Germany, and Belgium seeking a better life in this country for themselves and their families. Most of them were Catholic, so they also wanted a place where they could worship freely.
Immigrants have continued to come to the United States. Many are welcomed by the Statue of Liberty in New York City’s harbor with words inscribed on the statue’s pedestal that say: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”