Thread: Catholics complain to feds about immigration raids

Catholics complain to feds about immigration raids
ICE leader defends government crackdown that religious groups say inflict unnecessary harm
By STEWART M. POWELL Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
July 29, 2008, 8:04PM
13Comments

WASHINGTON — The official leading the Bush administration's election-year crackdown on undocumented immigrants got an earful Tuesday from immigrants' advocates tied to the Roman Catholic Church who dubbed the effort ''enforcement only."

Julie Myers, assistant secretary of homeland security in charge of immigration and customs enforcement, vigorously defended a nine-month campaign that has detained nearly 4,500 undocumented workers, 111 employers and more than 26,000 illegal immigrants who defied judges' orders to leave the country.

"I certainly understand that there are many people who do not like the immigration laws created by Congress — not created by this agency but created by Congress," Myers declared.

Myers responded to complaints that some mothers inadvertently had been separated from nursing babies in violation of the policy of her agency — Immigration and Customs Enforcement, popularly called ICE. Congress, she said, did not make an exception for undocumented workers who became parents while living in the U.S. illegally.

"Congress could do that — but they have not," she said.

Many participants at a three-day conference convened by the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network criticized the administration's hard-hitting approach.

The stepped-up enforcement policy was adopted after Congress failed last year to enact a blend of border enforcement and a pathway to legalization for some 12 million illegal immigrants.

The Bush administration contends it must strengthen enforcement to win back public confidence and set the stage for a more balanced approach to immigration.

Donald Kerwin, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, which serves 600,000 clients each year, told Myers that participants at the conference were concerned that ''these large-scale enforcement actions that often involve hundreds of law enforcement people" are inflicting unnecessary harm on immigrants.

The organizations provide housing, food and day care to the families of arrested immigrants and legal counsel to those facing deportation. Many immigrants picked up in the raids are Roman Catholics originally from Mexico and Central America, prompting their families in the United States to turn to local parishes for emergency help.

The Houston area has seen immigration raids, including operations at Shipley Do-Nuts and Action Rags USA.

"Everybody champions immigration reform," said Kerwin, whose organization supports a national network of 173 charitable legal programs for immigrants in nearly 270 locations. "It seems like it is enforcement only right now."

In a subsequent interview with the Houston Chronicle, Kerwin likened the raids' impact to damage from a hurricane.

"Our programs are seeing families divided and communities devastated," he said. "Basically we're seeing the equivalent of a natural disaster, and we're organizing and responding accordingly."

Myers tried without success to win over her audience with comments about her 22-month-old son, the Roman Catholic faith and commitment of her agency's senior leadership to "Catholic principles and Catholic traditions" and the portrayal of her enforcement organization as "an agency of immigrants."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5914374.html

HEY! I'm a Catholic and I am 1000% behind ENFORCING our laws. DEPORT! DEPORT! DEPORT!

How dare Mr. Kerwin even compare immigration raids to what Hurricane Katrina did to New Orleans, or any other hurricane or natural disaster in the US. Of course, anyone trying to enforce our laws is equal to Nazi concentration camps, according to those with this mind-bent.
This is pure political crap, something that should have all these pro-illegal tried for treason and deported. Just a thought.

Good to see someone else posting an article about this National Migration Conference. I had started posting notices about four months ago. This has got to be one of the major strategy aessions of the OBL and I had hoped that some DC area activists might be able to attend and take notes. I did get a response on another website that they are seeking actual qualified legal opinion regarding possible violations of non-profit status by various participants. However, this would have been the best ooportunity to gather evidence.

33% of this particular conference will be devoted to "legislative activity." That much on a regular basis by a 501c3 would be excessive.

Sure sounds like it's time to re-voke Tax Free Status for the Catholic Church

http://www.cliniclegal.org/
here is their website

Executive Director
Donald Kerwin
202-635-2556

so he says that the ones picked up in the raids from mexico and central america are catholic..... well no $hit Sherlock. 95 percent of the people down there are catholic.

WHATS YOUR DAMN POINT MORON?

Oh no! Don't take away their tax-exempt status. We really need people like these who protect those "innocents" that break our laws the moment they cross the border illegally

I have a great friend who is a Catholic (actual was going to be a monk at one time), and I know others who are Catholic.

But not everyone gets the true picture and may never get it until it is to late.

And just getting others to see the picture is as bad as getting them to tell you about the picture.

Or worst is getting someone to see the other side of the picture can be pure hell.

My point is you and I are bad news carriers for America.

Everybody champions immigration reform," said Kerwin, whose organization supports a national network of 173 charitable legal programs for immigrants in nearly 270 locations. "It seems like it is enforcement only right now."

In a subsequent interview with the Houston Chronicle, Kerwin likened the raids' impact to damage from a hurricane.

And Kerwin here will never be able to see the damage he is doing. His organization is getting their money to support 270 locations from drug cartales, corporation or where?

quoted from: http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-125499.html

But strange bedfellows as they may be, it is clear that Mr. Bush and Mr. Newsom share a common goal: the subversion of immigration laws at the behest of a coalition that includes big-business interests and ethnic lobbying groups.

This Bush and Newsom are the true picture we are faced with today,
Money Banking Elitist.

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

Sure sounds like it's time to re-voke Tax Free Status for the Catholic Church

You have been talking about that ever since you came on to this discussion forum. Have you actually done anything towards that goal?

"I certainly understand that there are many people who do not like the immigration laws created by Congress — not created by this agency but created by Congress," Myers declared.

What is she really saying ? Which in her mind is more powerful ? Congress or DHS ? She needs anger management and a Reality check . Cause it's the American people that "Like" these old immigration laws. Fact: turn back the clock and 1986 would have never happen if we'ld known the truth . It's the American people and the "Church" will suffer in the long with their toeholding of Latinos rights . It's all about money . We know it is . The $500 million settlemen for your sick preists . imo they , the church got of easy for they knew , they knew and still did little