More than 100 Catholic bishops, nuns, priests and parishioners joined a procession across ⁠the US-Mexico border on Friday evening, urging the US government to treat migrants with dignity and respect.

The procession, from Nogales, Arizona, to its sister city in the Mexican state of Sonora, was planned to coincide with commemorations of America’s 250th anniversary.

“We want to be well together. This is what the Church is all about,” Bishop of Tucson, Arizona, James Misko said as he celebrated mass at the Sacred Heart Church in Nogales, which overlooks the US-Mexico border fence.

Catholic leaders criticise immigration policies

After the ‌service concluded, the clergy and parishioners lined up and started praying the rosary together as they walked across the border, where they were joined by their Mexican counterparts.

“The heat is terrible, the heat is actually deadly,” said Sister Eileen McKenzie, a Franciscan nun who works with migrants in Ambos Nogales.

She considered the procession a unique moment of solidarity as they endured temperatures peaking at 36 degrees Celsius (96 degrees Fahrenheit).

“We realised, there are people crossing the desert right now, and they don’t have any [respite]. It puts perspective on it. There are more and more people who are going farther and farther out. They are more desperate and they are still crossing.”