At the US-Mexico border, Catholic bishops are making a strong appeal in support of migrants.

More than a hundred bishops, priests, nuns, and Catholic faithful participated in a procession on Friday at the border between the United States and Mexico to call on American authorities to treat migrants with dignity, respect, and humanity. The event took place in Nogales, on the border between Arizona and the Mexican state of Sonora.

Organized as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States, the ceremony linked the twin cities of Nogales. After a mass celebrated at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which overlooks the border fence, participants crossed the border together reciting the rosary, joined by religious leaders and worshippers from the Mexican side.

During his homily, the Bishop of Tucson, James Misko, emphasized the importance of unity and peace. "We want to be united and at peace. That is the very essence of the Church," he declared, as several Catholic leaders denounced the hardening of American immigration policies and the stigmatization of migrants.

The procession comes shortly after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling concerning migrants, amid a highly charged immigration debate. Several American bishops have recently expressed concern about what they consider a smear campaign targeting migrants.

Extreme weather conditions also marked this day of remembrance. In temperatures reaching nearly 36°C, participants continued their march despite the heat. Sister Eileen McKenzie, a Franciscan nun working with migrants in the Ambos Nogales region, reminded everyone that these temperatures could be deadly for those attempting to cross the border.

This mobilization is part of a series of initiatives by the Catholic Church in support of migrants. Pope Leo XIV is also scheduled to commemorate the migration issue on July 4th in Lampedusa, the Italian island that has become a symbol of migrant crossings to Europe.