By Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Florida's Catholic bishops are calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to halt immigration enforcement activities until after the Christmas holidays.
"Such a pause would show a decent regard for the humanity of these families. Now is not the time to be callous toward the suffering caused by immigration enforcement," the bishops wrote on Monday to Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
In response, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said on Tuesday, "President Trump was elected based on his promise to the American people to deport criminal illegal aliens. And he’s keeping that promise."
A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately comment.
Trump has carried out an aggressive immigration campaign over the last year, apprehending and deporting migrants who he says are dangerous criminals.
His administration has also rescinded policy that limited immigration arrests near sensitive locations, including churches, hospitals and schools, and deployed federal agents across the U.S. to ramp up such arrests.
While the administration insists it is targeting criminals, government data shows that it has been arresting more people who have not been charged with any crimes beyond their alleged immigration violations than previous administrations.
Despite signs the public is questioning the crackdown, the administration is planning to expand it in the new year.
The appeal by the Florida bishops comes more than a month after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a rare condemnation of the Trump administration immigration crackdown and advocated for "meaningful immigration reform." And in October Pope Leo decried mistreatment of immigrants.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington. Editing by Donna Bryson and Alistair Bell)
