LOS ANGELES — For the first time in 12 years, U.S. Catholic bishops issued a unified statement Wednesday to support the country's immigrants and oppose the Trump administration's "indiscriminate mass deportations of people."

The special statement was issued during the bishops' annual gathering in Baltimore. It was the first time since 2013 that the bishops had collectively voiced their concerns over an issue. The last time they did so was in response to the federal government's contraceptive mandate.

"We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement," the statement read in part. "We are concerned by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care."

The bishops called for immigration reform and expressed sadness that some immigrants had arbitrarily lost their legal status. They said they were also troubled by the threats against the "sanctity of houses of worship and special nature of hospitals and schools."

"We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people," the statement read. "We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

A White House spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Wednesday's action underscores the bishops' united front against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and their support of Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the U.S., who has spoken out against the mistreatment of immigrants and called on federal authorities to allow clergy and other pastoral workers access to detainees.

Some priests and other religious leaders have been on the front lines in the protests against the Trump administration immigration policies, even being fired upon with less-lethal ammunition by federal agents.

In Los Angeles County, immigration raids have contributed to a drop in the number of people attending Mass at some parishes.

In July, a day after an arrest at or near a local church, Bishop Alberto Rojas told his San Bernardino diocese of about 1.2 million people that they could stay home on Sundays amid concerns about immigration sweeps.

"I want our immigrant communities to know that their Church stands with them and walks with them through this trying time," he said in a statement at the time.

About 58% of people living in the United States who were born abroad consider themselves Christian, according to findings from the Pew Research Center. Of those, 30% identify as Catholics, the largest share of any denomination.

In Los Angeles, 28% of all Christians consider themselves Catholic, the highest of any denomination by 12 percentage points, according to Pew.

The raids also prompted the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to bolster delivery of hot meals, groceries and prescription medicines to parishioners living in fear of deportation amid ongoing enforcement raids.

"This is a challenging moment for our community," Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez said in a statement at the time. "Many of our friends and family, our neighbors and fellow parishioners, are afraid and anxious. These are good, hard-working men and women, people of faith, people who have been in this country for a long time and are making important contributions to our economy."

In Wednesday's special statement, the bishops said the church's concern for immigrants is a response to the "Lord's command to love as He has loved us."

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—Times staff writer Andrew Campa contributed to this report.

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