In early 2026 one would have thought that America — maybe even Minneapolis — was the capital of the globe. News of clashes and two deaths at anti-ICE actions in Minnesota circled the globe and, especially in Western Europe, became staples of progressive discourse.
Some observers noted that the turmoil in America over immigration, and the two activists killed by government agents, seemed like a bigger issue than the tens of thousands of protesters killed by the Iranian regime over the same period.
Americans and American Catholics may think that the immigration issue is a particularly American crisis. Catholic bishops in the U.S. have spoken out repeatedly on the issue in recent months, most recently decrying last month “the current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded.”
But recent events in Spain, South Africa and Kuwait have underscored the global scope of the challenge and the seemingly intractable and explosive nature of issues surrounding immigration, citizenship and national identity.
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