Thread: Spokesman won't condemn sanctuary plan

Spokesman won't condemn sanctuary plan
Churches' initiative helps illegal aliens violate federal law

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Posted: May 17, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern



© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com


A spokesman for President Bush has declined to condemn the idea of Christian churches setting up "sanctuary" facilities in aid of illegal aliens who are in violation of federal law.

Nor will he endorse them.

The terse response from the president's spokesman, Tony Snow, came on a question from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House.

"Several churches or church groups have announced … plans for sanctuaries where illegal aliens would be sheltered. What message does the White House believe it sends to the nation of a church is in actual defiance of federal law?" he asked.

(Story continues below)


"No comment on that," Snow responded.

According to media reports, churches in nearly half a dozen major cities plan to offer protection to illegal aliens as part of a campaign to pressure lawmakers to give the estimated 12 million in the country against the law citizenship.

"We want to put a human face to very complex immigration laws and awaken the consciousness of the human spirit," Father Richard Estrada of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Los Angeles told the Associated Press.

His facility has made modifications to allow one illegal alien to live there.

Already being protected is Elvira Arellano, an illegal alien who has taken shelter at a Methodist church in Chicago. She's been staying there since August.

Federal authorities have not made clear whether agents would try to arrest others who take refuge in such sanctuaries.

However, those actions by churches don't acknowledge "they are being charitable with someone else's resources, and that's not charity," said Ira Mehlman, whose group, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, endorses limits on immigration.

Several of the initial church participants in the program, in San Diego, Seattle, Chicago and New York, said they won't actually house illegal alients, but would provide legal counsel and other help.

In an online opinion piece, columnist Chuck Baldwin said it's not a good idea.

"It is more than troubling to learn that some of my Christian brethren seem to be so undiscerning as to be willing to facilitate lawlessness and even potential terrorism by assisting those who have no respect for our nation's laws or national borders," he continued.

"Make no mistake about it: illegal aliens are no more our 'neighbors' and 'friends' than are other criminals. They knowingly and deliberately violate our nation's immigration laws and then have the audacity to demand that we accept and even protect them? I don't think so," he said.

"Instead of encouraging criminal activity (illegal immigration), Christians and churches should be promoting truth and adherence to law," he said.

Kinsolving also asked a second question, about the president's approval rating.

"What is the president's reaction to the report that Congress (at 29 percent) has an even lower poll rating than he does (at 33 percent)?" he asked.

"The president has made it clear that his job is to lead the country and he continues to do that," Snow said.

Gallup reported that after a support surge earlier this year when Democrats moved into leadership positions in Congress, public approval dropped off considerably. Congress' approval rating was set at 29 percent, down from last month's 33 percent. The president's approval rating is about 33 percent.

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55733

"The president has made it clear that his job is to lead the country and he continues to do that," Snow said.

The only problem........AMERICA IS NOT FOLLOWING YOU ANYMORE!!!
Have faith...it won't be long before your ratings hit ZERO!!!!!!!!!!

This "president" is the most sorriest sack of low life trash I've ever seen. I'm sorry I ever voted for him. I did not went John treasonness kerry to step into the white house. He would most likely do the same thing...He is a disgrace, if he signs this Amnesty. I would say worst then Carter, heck he will make Carter look sane if he destroys are nations; and turns it into the North American union. Please GOD STOP THIS DISGRACEFUL PRESIDENT BEFORE HE DESTROYS OUR COUNTRY.

THE LAW

The courts have ruled that churches and relief organizations are subject to the regulations and penalties against "bringing in and harboring certain aliens."

Title 8 ¶12

-CITE-
8 USC Sec. 1324 01/02/2006

-EXPCITE-
TITLE 8 - ALIENS AND NATIONALITY
CHAPTER 12 - IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY
SUBCHAPTER II - IMMIGRATION
Part VIII - General Penalty Provisions

-HEAD-
Sec. 1324. Bringing in and harboring certain aliens

-STATUTE-
(a) Criminal penalties
(1)(A) Any person who -
(i) knowing that a person is an alien, brings to or attempts to
bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever such person
at a place other than a designated port of entry or place other
than as designated by the Commissioner, regardless of whether
such alien has received prior official authorization to come to,
enter, or reside in the United States and regardless of any
future official action which may be taken with respect to such
alien;
(ii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien
has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in
violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport
or move such alien within the United States by means of
transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of
law;
(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an
alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in
violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection,
or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such
alien in any place, including any building or any means of
transportation;
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or
reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of
the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be
in violation of law; or
(v)(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding
acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,

shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) A person who violates subparagraph (A) shall, for each alien
in respect to whom such a violation occurs -
(i) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i) or (v)(I)
or in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii), or
(iv) in which the offense was done for the purpose of commercial
advantage or private financial gain, be fined under title 18,
imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both;
(ii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii),
(iv), or (v)(II), be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more
than 5 years, or both;
(iii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i), (ii),
(iii), (iv), or (v) during and in relation to which the person
causes serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365 of title
18 ) to, or places in jeopardy the life of, any person, be fined
under title 18, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and
(iv) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i), (ii),
(iii), (iv), or (v) resulting in the death of any person, be
punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for
life, fined under title 18, or both.

After reading the above law, there can be no doubt that any church or organization that gives sanctuary to an illegal alien, is in direct violation of the law.

Now, let's see if our government really believes in the rule of law.