Auxiliary Bishop Mario Dorsonville of Washington, chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Migration, described the San Antonio trailer deaths as “a tragic loss of life and a harrowing depiction of the extreme risks assumed by migrants out of sheer desperation.”

“As a Church called to build a culture of life, we cannot tolerate this injustice,” he continued. “Instead, we must recognize that we are brothers and sisters, each imbued with God-given dignity. To prevent further loss of life, we urge governments and civil society to promote access to protection, including asylum, develop new pathways for those compelled to migrate, and combat human trafficking in all its forms.”