Watch the Pope’s Powerful Statement on Immigration to US Congress

As little Sophie Cruz demonstrated yesterday, the Latinx community has been waiting for Pope Francis to speak out on the immigration issues that we’re facing in the United States. Today, at a joint meeting of Congress, he delivered. “In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners,” he said, before acknowledging that indigenous people suffered as a result.

He went on to explain that there’s a refugee crisis around the world, including in the Americas. “On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities.” he said. “Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation.” This is truly what we wish everyone understood about why people choose to emigrate.

Watch the video below for a snippet of his speech, and read the entire transcript at Vox.