Thread: US bishops complain to DHS about ICE immigration raids

US bishops ask ICE to assist families, communities after immigration raids

Washington DC, Feb 17, 2008 / 03:10 pm (CNA).- Two United States Catholic bishops involved in immigration issues have written to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to express their concern about the protocols and the increased law enforcement activity of Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE).

The bishops asked the agency to adopt policies that would assist the families and communities affected by immigration enforcement actions. They also asked that the agency refrain from conducting enforcement actions at or near churches, hospitals, schools, or charitable organizations.

Bishop of Salt Lake City John Wester, Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, and Bishop Jaime Soto, coadjutor bishop of Sacramento and Chairman of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, wrote the letter requesting policy changes to Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and his undersecretary Julie Meyers.

“Although ICE has recently issued guidance regarding worksite enforcement operations, we believe that the guidance falls short of what is necessary," the bishops wrote.

Bishops Wester and Soto urged the release of primary caregivers after immigration enforcement actions and the improvement of family members’ ease in locating detained relatives. Detained individuals should have better access to legal counsel, and ICE should avoid transferring detainees out of their community.

Community outreach and education programs should be developed to follow enforcement actions, the bishops said, and enforcement should be suspended during natural and man-made disasters.

In an additional statement on February 7, Bishop Wester criticized the recent congressional economic stimulus package that prohibited undocumented immigrants from receiving tax rebates.

“The decision to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving tax rebates in the stimulus bill highlights the injustice in our immigration system. It proves that these workers pay into the tax system and help support our economy. It also reveals the hypocrisy of our laws. With one hand our government attempts to deport these workers, but with the other it holds tight the taxes they pay into the system. This perpetuates an underclass of workers without full rights,â€

If they don't like it they can go home.

According to the Pew Foundation most legal Latino immigants are negative net taxpayer. What are we doing permitting the illegals who are on average more unskilled and make on average even less money to remain here?

Seperation of Church and State.... You no like Bishop... Move your child molesting back side to a third world country

We will not set up more sanctuary areas for your special interest

Its time to revoke tex exempt status to help pay for this invasion

Tax Bingo

Bishops Wester and Soto urged the release of primary caregivers after immigration enforcement actions and the improvement of family members’ ease in locating detained relatives. Detained individuals should have better access to legal counsel, and ICE should avoid transferring detainees out of their community.

Community outreach and education programs should be developed to follow enforcement actions, the bishops said, and enforcement should be suspended during natural and man-made disasters.

What is stopping the Church from developing and implementing programs--they are charitable institutions afterall.

"The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

After they take the Sunday collection

And then the Special heating Collection

And the Special Pedophile Fund Collection

They can take Special Illegal Alien Peso Collection

The Roman Catholic organization, CLINIC, is lying in wait for the Day of Amnesty shielding IA's telling them not to go forward until it is safe for them.
http://www.cliniclegal.org/