Thread: Tancredo to Block Religious Groups From Harboring Illegals

Press Releases :: April 11, 2007

Carlos Espinosa 202-225-7882; T.Q. Houlton 202-225-7882


Tancredo to Block Religious Groups from Harboring Illegal Aliens
Congressman will reintroduce legislation to close Sen. Bennett’s immigration loophole


(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) today criticized a loophole in U.S. immigration law that was quietly created by U.S. Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT) in 2005. The “Bennett Loophole” created a broad exemption that allows religious organizations to knowingly transport, aid, abet and harbor illegal aliens.

“Allowing this law to remain on the books encourages terrorist networks disguised as religious groups to hide behind this ill-advised provision of law,” Tancredo said. “Does it really make sense to allow Imam’s and Mosques in this country a blank check to transport or harbor foreigners in this country illegally?”

Tancredo, who was extremely critical of the provision in 2005, renewed his criticism of the “Bennett Loophole” amid news reports that a number of churches in Los Angeles, Chicago and elsewhere are intentionally acting as sanctuaries for illegal aliens. The high profile case in Chicago of illegal alien Elvira Arellano and her son, Saul, is an example of the abuses the “Bennett Loophole” allows.

In fact the “Bennett Loophole” has spurred Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to begin a sanctuary movement within religious organizations. First by instructing his priests and lay employees last year to ignore the U.S. House’s immigration bill (HR 4437) if passed into law, and then inspiring an L.A. church to begin construction of an on-site facility designed to harbor illegal aliens facing deportation for violating federal immigration laws.

After Tancredo raised objections to the provision in 2005, the House passed legislation that would have closed the loophole. The legislation died, however, after the Senate failed to consider it. Sen. Bennett’s law was passed as part of the Agriculture Appropriations bill in 2005. The Senator claims he authored the far-reaching provision to assist the Mormon Church in utilizing illegal alien missionaries and volunteers. Representative Tancredo plans to reintroduce the legislation next week when Congress is back in session.

Tancredo concluded, “This law has set a dangerous precedent by giving terrorists a tool to attack the United States. No organization – religious or not – can be permitted to disregard our immigration laws and endanger public safety.”

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http://tancredo.house.gov/press/PRArtic ... ewsID=1269

Good for Tom. I also think churches should stay out of politics or lose their tax exempt status.

There's supposed to be an explicit separation of church and state. The religious should stay out of political affairs, and the political needs to stay out of religious affairs.

Does anyone know when this "loophole" went into effect? I hadn't heard of it until now?

It says they snuck it in the AG's bill of 2005, The reason you do not know is like everything else they sneak it in another bill in the middle of the night so we don't know about it and can't complain. ICE could go into that church and arrest Alvira, even though they can't prosecute the church for helping her. ICE is just to coward to do it!!
Look how much of the North American Union is quietly hanging out in G/Flake immigration bill, if no one was watching right now we the people would be screwd. They would be closeing Mexicos So. border at we the peoples expense, while ours is still wide open.

Yep, here it is.......Section 796! Disgusting *****s!

(Sec. 796) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from specified provisions providing criminal penalties for bringing in and harboring certain aliens a bona fide nonprofit, religious organization in the United States (or its agents or officers) that encourages, invites, calls, allows, or enables an alien who is present in the United States to serve as a volunteer minister or missionary for such organization in the United States, provided the minister or missionary has been a member of the denomination for at least one year. (Specifies that such exemption shall not permit the organization to encourage or induce an alien to come to, or enter, the United States.)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z ... L&summ2=m&

Notice the part that says INVITES as well as ENABLES?!

Originally Posted by cvangel

Yep, here it is.......Section 796! Disgusting *****s!

(Sec. 796) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from specified provisions providing criminal penalties for bringing in and harboring certain aliens a bona fide nonprofit, religious organization in the United States (or its agents or officers) that encourages, invites, calls, allows, or enables an alien who is present in the United States to serve as a volunteer minister or missionary for such organization in the United States, provided the minister or missionary has been a member of the denomination for at least one year. (Specifies that such exemption shall not permit the organization to encourage or induce an alien to come to, or enter, the United States.)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z ... L&summ2=m&

Notice the part that says INVITES as well as ENABLES?!

You know, if we went back to tarring and feathering, (it doesn't have to be hot anymore, as technology has provided us with some "cool to cold" tar) I think they would think twice about this kinda cr*p.

Besides, that was the most politically humiliating thing that could happen to an elected official. Well, I suppose next to losing a dual. And the wimps outlawed that before the War Between the States.

Tancredo concluded, “This law has set a dangerous precedent by giving terrorists a tool to attack the United States. No organization – religious or not – can be permitted to disregard our immigration laws and endanger public safety.”

Way to go Tom!! You make us PROUD!