Thread: TX Clergy Visit Capitol Hill to Lobby Senators

Big Religion, the hierarchy of any church, is like any other Special Interest Group, just follow the money. Most Special Interest Groups are only concerned for their agenda of profit and/or power. Something about living in a Glass House, the church leaders should be able to clean their own house before they tell others what they are doing wrong! Of course they are expecting money to flow in from our Federal Government to assist with their Big Religion ministering to the ILLEGALS or he just may receive some funds from the ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS who benefit from their ILLEGALS! Doubtful they will get any monetary help from the ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS they of course expect the United States Taxpayers to pick up the bill for their ILLEGALS while they soak up all of the PROFIT, you have to admit the SOAKING of United States Taxpayers is good.

DREAM supporters seek a holiday miracle in D.C.
Texas clergy visit Capitol Hill to lobby senators
By GARY MARTIN
SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
Dec. 14, 2010, 7:32PM

WASHINGTON — Texas clergy from San Antonio, Houston and Dallas joined a Tuesday march on Capitol Hill to press senators to approve an immigration bill that would provide citizenship for foreign-born children.

More than 100 leaders from 10 states took part in a march around U.S. Senate office buildings as lawmakers scrambled to finish their legislative work in a lame-duck session and adjourn for the holidays.

"We are hoping for a Christmas miracle," said the Rev. Harry Knox with Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston.

The Rev. Lorenza Andrade Smith, a San Antonio Methodist minister, and Maria Antonietta Berriozabal, a former San Antonio councilwoman, took part in the Washington activities just days after their Nov. 29 arrest for protesting at the San Antonio office of Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Measure 'too expansive'
Knox, Berriozabal and Smith were among the activists who called on Hutchison to drop her opposition to the DREAM Act. Its full name is the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act.

Hutchison and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, say the bill would result in chain migration of relatives by granting citizenship to illegal immigrant students and those who served in the military.

"The senator has been consistent and clear that she cannot support the DREAM Act legislation before the Senate because it is too expansive," said Courtney Sanders, a spokeswoman.

The House passed its version of the DREAM Act last week, but opposition by Senate Republicans and some Democrats make passage more unlikely there.

Supporters of the bill concede they are still short of the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and move the bill to the Senate floor.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said a procedural vote on the bill would come before the Senate adjourns this month.

Attempt to see Hutchison
Joining clergy who held a prayer summit were more than a hundred students from states like Texas, Florida and Ohio who would be eligible for eventual citizenship through the bill.

The delegation of Texas clergy included the Rev. Owen Ross, a Methodist minister from Dallas.

The Rev. Arturo Chavez with the Mexican American Catholic Church in San Antonio said efforts to speak directly to Hutchison in Washington were denied. He said he was still hopeful she would change her mind.

"What gives me hope is the determination of these young people," Chavez said.

"Senator Hutchison has met with DREAM Act supporters in her Washington office several times," Sanders said. "The senator is unable to meet with every constituent who comes to Washington, but tries to ensure they meet with her policy staff."

Hutchison also refused to meet with students and protestors in San Antonio participating in a hunger strike, but met with DREAM Act supporters in Austin and Houston.

In U.S. before age 16
The DREAM Act would provide citizenship eligibility to immigrants who were brought into this country before age 16 and served in the military or went to college for two years.

As many as 1 million immigrants would be eligible to apply for citizenship over the next decade, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

The bill would establish a one-year deadline to apply for legal status after completion of educational and military requirements. It includes eligibility restrictions for criminal arrests and convictions.

Applicants would have to pay $2,500 in fees and be age 29 or younger to seek temporary protected status for 10 years before becoming eligible for full citizenship.

gmartin@express-news.net

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/7339398.html

THIS MAN'S CHURCH NEEDS TO LOSE ITS TAX EXEMPT STATUS. THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE U.S. CALLED THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. RIGHT YET AND STILL THESE CHURCH PEOPLE ARE STEADT MEDDLING IN GOVERNMENT BUSINESS WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE. LIKE ILLEGAL ALIENS, THEY PAY NO TAXES SO THEY HAVE NO SAY SO IN MATTERS SUCH AS THIS.

If churches choose to lobby they most certainly should not be tax exempt. Absolutely not

We know for the last 2 weeks there has been an organized effort to push the DREAM AMNESTY BILL by the left wing press, for the Chron's part they have had at least one sob story a day.