Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, No More?

America’s Attitude towards immigrants and the poor in 1883

From Wikipedia: “The New Colossus” is a sonnet by American poet Emma Lazarus (1849–1887). She wrote the poem in 1883 to raise money for the construction of a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World). In 1903, the poem was cast onto a bronze plaque and mounted inside the pedestal’s lower level.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips.

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

The “huddled masses” refers to the large numbers of immigrants arriving in the United States in the 1880s, particularly through the port of New York. Lazarus was an activist and advocate for Jewish refugees fleeing persecution in Imperial Russia.

We celebrate this holiday because of what happened in 1776.

We celebrate the actions of people we only know about because of books. We celebrate the actions of people that lived without electricity, without regular mail service, without Super Wal-Mart. What a stark existence to be willing to fight for.

We celebrate that these people had the gumption, or gall or courage to break the existing hold of Europe on this wilderness colonies.

What did they want to become independent from? If you read through the document you find oppression, abuse, removal of rights, false justice and punishment. You find a precisely stated set of charges against the king and their justification for independence.

Their declaration was to break free of the strangling hold of a tyrant.
Independence Day Sermon by Thomas Bowen, Galatians 5:13-18 – SermonCentral.com –Thomas Bowen on Nov 28, 2017

Originally called “Yankee Doodle”, this is one of several versions of a scene painted by A. M. Willard that came to be known as The Spirit of ’76. Often imitated or parodied, it is a familiar symbol of American patriotism.

America’s Attitude towards immigrants and the poor in 2025

Washington — President Trump is bringing pomp and circumstance to his signing of the “big, beautiful bill” on Friday, with a 4 p.m. Independence Day ceremony at the White House. Trump to sign “big, beautiful bill” in July Fourth ceremony at White House – CBS News

The House of Representatives Thursday passed President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” securing billions more in funding for immigration enforcement. –Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Just Changed The Game On Immigration | The Daily Caller

Armand Domalewski@ArmandDoma (July 3, 2025) Even if every single last illegal immigrant was a stone cold gang murder, it would still make absolutely no sense for ICE’s budget to exceed every other federal law enforcement agency COMBINED—and yet…

‪Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez‬ ‪@aoc.bsky.social‬ (July 3, 2025) I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE. This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion – making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined. It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

“Reacting to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by the U.S. Congress, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops” said…

“My brother bishops and I have repeatedly and consistently urged lawmakers to use the budget reconciliation process to help families in need and to change course on aspects of the bill that fail the poor and vulnerable. The final version of the bill includes unconscionable cuts to healthcare and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God’s creation. The bill, as passed, will cause the greatest harm to those who are especially vulnerable in our society. As its provisions go into effect, people will lose access to healthcare and struggle to buy groceries, family members will be separated, and vulnerable communities will be less prepared to cope with environmental impacts of pollution and extreme weather. More must be done to prevent these devastating effects.

“The Catholic Church’s teaching to uphold human dignity and the common good compels us to redouble our efforts and offer concrete help to those who will be in greater need and continue to advocate for legislative efforts that will provide better possibilities in the future for those in need.”

U.S. Bishops’ President Reacts to Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill Act | USCCB

And here is what the pope has to say about immigration.