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Church leaders to rally in Dubuque for immigrants
SHIRLEY RAGSDALE
REGISTER STAFF WRITER


August 29, 2006

Church leaders will participate in a Dubuque rally and march for comprehensive immigration reform at noon Thursday at Washington Park.

The rally at the park at 600 Bluff Ave. is to demonstrate their shared vision for humane reform that will protect the dignity of immigrants, honor their contributions to the country and address the underlying causes of the broken immigration system.

The event is in response to "field hearings" being held as the U.S. House of Representatives on the issue of immigration.

Bishop Gregory V. Palmer of the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church; Bishop Steven L. Ullestad of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Alan Garfield, past president of Temple Beth El, Dubuque; Sister Judy Callahan, director of Hispanic ministries for the Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque and the Rev. Michael Swartz, pastor of Church of Peace, United Church of Christ in Rock Island, Ill., will participate.

They'll ask legislators to return to Washington and work with the Senate to pass reform legislation that represents the principles for reform shared by a wide variety of faith groups across the country.

“Scripture records God's call for the nation to care for the poor and the
oppressed, the widow, the orphaned and the sojourner or immigrant,” said Bishop Ullestad.