(ANS – San Antonio) – Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, SDB, archbishop of Tegucigalpa met with hundreds of Mexican and Central American immigrants held in a detention center in Texas.

According to Fides Agency, the Honduran prelate was accompanied by Archbishop Gustavo García Siller of San Antonio. Following his visit, Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga held a press conference in which he described the situations that pushes people to make the dangerous trek across the border.

In the region in fact “there are situations of violence and poverty that have led to mass exodus of these people”, explained the Cardinal, who is also President of Caritas Internationalis. He also told the press that his visit will also serve to report the situation to the Holy Father.

Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga, who is also a member of the Council of Cardinals that advises Pope Francis, spoke with minors who are held in the detention center.

Last year, the US experienced a sharp increase in children and teenagers traveling to the border unaccompanied by adults.

Published 04/05/2015