Thread: U.S. Catholic leaders want to make imm. reform a priority

U.S. Catholic leaders want President Obama to make immigration reform a priority

Posted on Wednesday, 01.06.10 Recommend (1)
BY ALFONSO CHARDY
achardy@elnuevoherald.com

Stepping up the pressure on President Obama, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Wednesday urged the administration to make legalization of millions of undocumented immigrants a priority to enhance national security and improve the nation's battered economy.

``We are in this to win,'' J. Kevin Appleby, the group's director of migration policy and public affairs told a telephone news briefing in which conference leaders announced a national postcard campaign to mobilize Catholics behind immigration reform.

Though the Catholic Church has been in favor of immigration reform for years, the announcement of the campaign Wednesday marked the first major new effort by U.S. church leaders to demonstrate commitment to the issue which the White House has indicated may be the next major legislative priority after healthcare reform.

Appleby and church leaders on the telephonic briefing said Obama himself had signaled that his administration will push immigration reform this year.

``He assured us at the end of the year that this will be in the queue for 2010,'' said Appleby.

Asked if the chances of immigration reform are as uncertain as ever, the Most Reverend John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City and chairman of the conference's committee on migration said the issue was of national importance and required action.

``Candidate Obama certainly promised that he would make this a real priority and obviously he has a very full plate right now,'' said Wester. ``But we believe that priority hasn't changed. It's still a priority.''

Wester went on to say that legalizing undocumented immigrants was all the more relevant now in the midst of recession because more legal workers would speed economic recovery.

``I think it's a red herring to say immigrants are going to take jobs,'' said Wester. ``It's quite the opposite really. I believe they create jobs.''

On Thursday, the Center for American Progress and the Immigration Policy Center will hold a news conference to highlight a new study that claims legalization would spur economic prosperity.

The report by Dr. Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda of the University of California, Los Angeles, found that immigration reform ``would create widespread economic growth, including a significant rise in the gross domestic product and a boost in wages for native-born workers and immigrants,'' according to a statement from the groups hosting Thursday's event.

Appleby, for his part, said legalizing undocumented immigrants would improve the nation's security because millions who now live in hiding would become known to the authorities.

Appleby was responding to a question on whether the Christmas Day incident on the Detroit-bound plane could set back immigration reform efforts in the same way that the 9/11 attacks pushed legalization to the backburner in 2001.

``The two events are not comparable,'' said Appleby. ``We think immigration reform will enhance security.''

Appleby also pointed out that undocumented immigrants have not been responsible for terror attacks. The 9/11 terrorists and the suspect in the Christmas Day event had entered the country legally with U.S. visas.

Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora did not participate in Wednesday's news briefing, but at a mass Sunday to celebrate immigrants he called for immigration reform.

``Contact your representatives,'' Favalora said, according to an account of the mass on the Miami Archdiocese website. ``Urge them to pass immigration reform. Make this a priority.''

Favalora officiated the mass at Cathedral of St. Mary to mark National Migration Week.

Two days earlier, on Jan. 1, five people entered a tent in the patio outside St. Ann Mission in Naranja and began an indefinite fast to focus attention on the consequences of immigration enforcement when a husband or wife is deported leaving the family behind.

``We are doing this to protest the separation of families and calling on President Obama to use his authority to suspend the detention and deportation of immigrants who have U.S. families,'' said Jonathan Fried, one of the hunger strikers who heads the Homestead immigrant advocacy group WeCount!

The group was joined by a sixth striker Wednesday. The fasters are drinking water and Gatorade, but refusing food.


http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-d ... 12760.html

I officially demand that the Vatican Tear down the walls surrounding the pope and make it more accessible to the masses

I also think the White House needs to Tear down it's fence ... whodathunkit ... the people that want open borders seem to keep themselves very safe with maximum security to give them a warm and fuzzy while citizens pay the cost in life, limbs and the cost to not only protect the lunatics holding public office, but to give free bennies to all the Illegal Aliens ...

As a recovering Catholic I want to remind the Catholic Bishop's these Illegal Aliens can be just as devout parishioners in they're HOME Countries

Then let the illegal immigrants migrate to Vatican City for amnesty. Betcha the pope wouldn't allow such a thing.

I think it's way past time for all churches to start paying taxes.

They are getting federal money and meddling in politics, take away their tax exemption status.

If they balk, tell them to think how all their beloved illegal aliens those taxes could support.


Enough is enough! The Catholic church in the US owns billions of dollars worth of tax-exempt real estate..TAX THEM!!!

When the Vatican has meddled in the governments of other countries, they have been punished.

The Middle East, France, England... I'm sure they are about to get another humiliating punishment and defeat handed down upon them for their behavior in the US.

Dixie