Crookston Bishop says immigration system is broken and in need of reform

Bishop Andrew Cozzens calls Minnesota ICE activity "very indiscriminate"

CROOKSTON, Minn. (KVRR) – Another Catholic bishop in Minnesota is speaking out about the effects of ICE activity across the state.

Diocese of Crookston Bishop Andrew Cozzens oversees more than 60 parishes in 14 counties in northwestern Minnesota.

Cozzens says law-abiding, undocumented immigrants being swept up by the unprecedented wave of ICE arrests are victims of a broken system.

“This is the problem of a broken immigration system,” Cozzens said in an interview with KVRR Local News.

“It’s been broken for so long that there isn’t really a path for some of those people who’ve been here a long time to fix their situation, even though they’ve been wonderful, contributing members of our society.”

“Justice needs to be applied to individuals, and so I think this is very indiscriminate in its application,” said Cozzens.

“Just to say that every immigrant is here without documentation should be deported…that’s not justice.”

The bishop says that while it’s important to maintain a secure border, the immigration system is in need of repair and he says someone needs to find the will to fix it.