Thread: U.S. border sends mixed messages, cleric says

U.S. border sends mixed messages, cleric says
By Tom Kisken
Saturday, March 8, 2008


Immigration policies are so neglected and broken it is as if two billboards sit at the U.S. and Mexico border, said the leader of the nation's largest Catholic archdiocese.

One reads "Help Wanted. Come Everyone," Cardinal Roger Mahony told Catholics during an immigration presentation at Our Lady of the Assumption church in Ventura this week. The other says "No Trespassing."

"Current immigration code was enacted, believe it or not, in 1965 and it has hardly been touched," said Mahony, leader of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. When Congress provided legal status to nearly 2.7 million illegal immigrants in 1986, Catholic leaders pushed for policies on dealing with undocumented immigration in the future.

"Congress said don't worry; we're going to get right at it," Mahony said. His audience laughed.

'We look for no one'

An advocate of reform who has marched in protest with immigrants, Mahony said the church's stance is often misinterpreted. Bishops push Mexico and other countries to provide economic opportunities for their people so they don't have to leave. But people in countries that don't offer opportunities have "a natural right under God's law" to try to improve their future somewhere else.

Secure borders are absolutely critical but current enforcement is piecemeal with border walls and enforcement raids used politically to send voters the message that the government really is tough on illegal immigration, Mahony said.

The cardinal cited estimates that 40 percent of illegal immigrants are people who come to the country, often from overseas, with valid visas and then overstay their welcome.

"We look for no one. No one," he said of the visa violators.

Church leaders are pushing for reform that provides temporary workers for agriculture and other employers who rely heavily on immigrants. Mahony said people already in the country illegally should get what he called the beginning of legal status, meaning a path that could include penalties and language requirements but could eventually lead to resident status.

Consistent across nation

Mahony declined to talk to the media at the event but invited questions from an audience that packed the church's fellowship hall. Some of the queries carried praise and others showed the emotional heat radiating from the issue.

One man said just as politicians maneuver for votes, the church wants more members. He argued carpenters, machinists and others are being pushed out of jobs by illegal immigrants willing to work for $10 an hour. He said American youths can't get into college because so many "foreigners" are accepted by campuses.

"You're only giving half the picture today," he told the cardinal.

Mahony told the man they want the same thing: control of a system that's spinning wildly. He urged people to demand comprehensive answers from presidential candidates on immigration, saying simple calls for secure borders aren't enough.

He argued against state and local laws in Arizona and other places that penalize employers for hiring illegal immigrants, saying policies need to be consistent across the nation. He said churches that shelter illegal immigrants are a distraction to reform that provides real answers.

Polar opposite views

Urging people to write letters to local members of Congress, he said the window for change will open again next year. Because of the lack of elections in 2009, politicians could feel empowered to fix the broken system.

And as some milled about after the program offering their agreement and support, at least one person wanted more from the cardinal. Lannette Turicchi of Santa Barbara argued church leaders don't do enough to unite people with polar opposite views on immigration. That divide in perceptions means the problem will get worse; instead of 12 million illegal immigrants, there could be 30 million.

"If we don't come together," she said, "we're all going down."


www.venturacountystar.com

One reads "Help Wanted. Come Everyone," Cardinal Roger Mahony told Catholics during an immigration presentation at Our Lady of the Assumption church in Ventura this week. The other says "No Trespassing."

It's free speech baby, and in some countries Cardinal, you would not be able to get your blather in a newspaper and instead be incarcerated and punished for speaking out against the government and mocking the law.

It's called common sense, self control, consicience..., if someone told you (free speech on a billboard) to rob a liquor store, would you break the law and do it?

"natural right" Well that's a new made up Biblical "right".

Dixie

Mahony is full of boloney!!! I am so sick of his BS it is not funny!! What a pathetic excuse for a man of God, pushing his own agenda in the name of God.

It's already against federal law to hire illegal aliens. We don't need any bs "comprehensive reform", just ENFORCE THE LAWS!

By the way, what kind of "mixed" messages can an 8 foot tall wall and border patrol agents patrolling the border send? They clearly say "KEEP OUT!"

Mahony just wants more warm bodies sitting in his pews. To him, it's all about the numbers.

Originally Posted by Populist

Mahony just wants more warm bodies sitting in his pews. To him, it's all about the numbers.

That's it exactly. And in LA if it weren't for illegals I'd bet he wouldn't have much of a congregation.

At least this article mentioned comments by others attending and good for those people for speaking the truth.

The US Catholic church needs more young boys to molest