Thread: Immigration policies: Justice should be tempered with mercy

Immigration policies: Justice should be tempered with mercy
Bishop Joseph N. Latino • Special to The Clarion-ledger • September 27, 2008
The issue of immigration continues to cause many challenges for our state and country. It is most unfortunate that mentioning this subject brings out the worst in some people. We must remember that human beings - not just abstract ideals - are involved in immigration.



Our country has laws and policies in place to regulate immigration. These laws and policies are difficult to enforce. Laws and policies can be cold and impersonal.

As people of faith we believe justice should always be tempered with mercy. Respect for human dignity and compassion for human life, especially the innocent lives caught in the middle, should always be at the forefront in the enforcement of laws and policies.

The recent use of raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) in workplaces clearly demonstrates the need to develop a more just and humane system of enforcing our immigration laws and policy. The use of raids does not address the real causes of illegal immigration nor does the use of raids provide any just solution to the entire situation. The raids very much are an affront to basic human dignity and cause the separation of families - husbands from wives, parents from children.

The Catholic Church in no way supports or encourages illegal immigration. Illegal immigration does not benefit the common good of our society. Because undocumented immigrants are often paid lower wages than U.S. workers, illegal immigration can drive the cost of wages down for everyone. This increases poverty among more and more people in our country.

Pastorally speaking, illegal immigration also causes human beings to live a life lacking in dignity due to constant hiding, fear and abuse of basic human rights. Our Church's social service agencies, such as Catholic Charities, serve people from all walks of life. We do not ask for documentation because the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to love our neighbors.

Under the current system, individuals are being exploited in poor working and living conditions and families are being separated. Respect for the sacredness of human life is what is at the heart of the Church's position on immigration.

The United States is built on a system of laws and principles. However, if a law or the means used to enforce that law violates human dignity and basic human rights, then it is not just. The current immigration enforcement policy is indeed unjust.

Yes, we should be concerned about laws being broken and our national security. Societies crumble when laws are ignored. We should also be concerned that the current system of using raids to enforce immigration laws eats away at the fabric of our nation and of humanity.

Our Church by her very nature is an immigrant church. Because of our experience throughout the life of our Church, we are compelled to work for reform and voice the need for an immigration enforcement policy that benefits the entire human community.

Let us remember to put a compassionate face on this situation - the face of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Joseph N. Latino leads the Catholic Diocese of Jackson.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs. ... 023/FEAT05

If the Catholic Church truly wants to help poor people and illegal aliens, they need to encourage and help them return to their own country.

If things in their own country are truly so bad, then why doesn't the Church use just a fraction of its immense wealth and power to help make things better in that country.

They can't pretend to be just a religious organization when it suits them and a politicial one when it suits them.

No one is being unmerciful to these people. The Church is being unmerciful for encouraging them to remain here.

You know there are citizens who are Catholic in this country - wonder why the Church isn't concerned with them?

If things in their own country are truly so bad, then why doesn't the Church use just a fraction of its immense wealth and power to help make things better in that country.

Exactly. I believe they are totally ignoring the fact that in alot of these raids these aren't all otherwise good honest people.......plain and simple they don't want any laws enforced. They don't want police to do it because it's a federal issue.....the feds get in and "study" it for a year before they do anything and they don't like that either. Even when they are shown mercy, it's described as cruel and inhumane. They were whining about a fake ID ring being busted and then when some Latin King leaders were caught. Heck according to them they are ALL GOOD people. Forget the drugs, forget a few hundred murders........

Granted I'm no priest........but when Jesus came upon the woman who was going to be stoned to death.....he asked the crowd, He who has not sinned, cast the first stone......and no one did.....he didn't turn to her and say "You go girl and keep on doing what you're doing." He said, "Go and sin no more". Last I knew "Mercy" didn't mean a green light to continue on status quo. Mercy is letting the ladies with children free with an ankle bracelet instead of locking them up and putting their kids in foster care. Mercy doesn't mean granting them citizenship, their family and all their kin......no questions asked. Mercy is sending them home with their families and not locking them up for a ton of charges they are guilty of.
Mercy is saying you find someone, a citizen, to care for your citizen children if you want them to stay here incase you are caught instead of law enforcement taking their children and putting them in foster care. It does NOT mean just coz you have a child you are exempt from the law. Mercy was the chance for you to leave on your own accord within a certain period of time and you didn't. Mercy has been shown. The church has failed them with their instruction to continue breaking the law.

Not to mention Mercy isn't DEMANDED.......

This idea of 'separating families' is a strawman argument.

Would you leave your children in a foreign country just because they happened to be born there? Of course not. Any parent, entity, or church that uses that argument, have made pawns out of these children for their own agenda. That's pretty despicable when you think about it.

Now, these people suddenly are big on 'roots'. Guess what, they left their true roots, culture, famlies to come here to make money. They brought many existing children from their true roots and the country where they were born.

So why suddenly is roots so important. Why does having a child in a foreign country, makes those, very shallow, roots somehow more important than generations in your own country.


Mercy would be to allow them to load their cars with their family and return home.

Mercy would be not to prosecute them for all the money they have stolen from citizens, and all the damage they have done citizens.

Personally, I think that is pretty merciful. A citizen would not get away with stealing and harming others.

Children do sometimes suffer from the illegal or immoral actions of their parents. That's not a situation we created, they did.

If they put me in charge, I would rescind the exemption for any church that did anything more than to encourage and help illegals return home and give them emergency provisions until they are home.

The problem is to you people there is no good way to enforce the law...unless you have some solutions and are holding out on us.

I say we need a president with a back bone, who will announce on National TV...

WARNING, if you are in this country illegally you are breaking the law...you now have 1 week to pack up and head back to your home country, tolorance will now be at zero, there will be no more excuses....we will racial profile ( since 80% of you are from a Latino country) and we will enforce our laws.

If you are legal make sure your paper work is in order! it is your responsibilty, because whining afterward will not be tolorated.

We can do this and we can stop being pushed around by these bleeding heart liberal that are causing chaos and anarchy in this country.

Yes, we should be concerned about laws being broken and our national security. Societies crumble when laws are ignored. We should also be concerned that the current system of using raids to enforce immigration laws eats away at the fabric of our nation and of humanity.

America is already showing signs of crumbling. Thats why we must enforce our laws. If illegal aliens respected our country's laws, they wouldnt come here illegally and ICE wouldnt have to conduct raids.

I would like justice for the victims of illegal immigrant crime. I would like mercy for the poor, unemployed and struggling American citizens who suffer economically and socially due to the lack of enforcement of our laws.

sosad

I agree, we the people, cannot enforce our laws and it looks like whichever party choice wins, we will have worse than no enforcement.

Again, we do still have our purchasing power and we need to get together and use it in a concerted effort.

They are operating on our money - if we withhold it, it will have an effect.

Of course, if Washington and Wall Street has it's way, we won't have any money to use - so we need to get busy now.