A Reflection on Illegal Immigration (from the bishops of Kansas)

[markomalley]

Please take a look at this reflection published on the Diocese of Wichita website (PDF file).

Bishop Michael Jackels and other Kansas Church leaders drafted a reflection on issues related to undocumented immigrants. Its purpose is to assist in the formation of consciences and to contribute to the public discussion on the topic.

This is a brilliant and even-handed statement that SHOULD (but likely won’t) serve as an exemplar for the USCCB to follow. It calls on citizens to have charity, it calls on illegals to embrace the culture and values of the country they are trying to adopt, and it calls on the government to a) enforce the laws and b) improve the laws.

Oh, how I wish that Bishop Jackels had a larger voice within the bishop’s conference. Wisdom like his on this subject needs to be broadcast far more than the “nazi” and “know-nothing” references spewed by others in the hierarchy.

 

[_Abyssinia]

This I agree with. I like the emphasis on the rule of the law and that nobody is above the law. I wish the USCCB had come out with a statement like this.

 

[stanczyk]

Not too bad; certainly better than it could have been. It’s a shame that one must advocate punishment for undocumented immigrants in order to be considered “even handed.”

A lot of this opinion is garbage. Violation of absurd policies like the United States immigration policy does not warrant a punishment. There is no moral obligation for immigrants to learn English.

I understand that consensus-building is important, but it feels almost like the bishop is waffling back and forth between the two extremes, as opposed to truly and unreservedly advocating compassion for immigrants.

 

[IrishRush]

Not too bad; certainly better than it could have been. It’s a shame that one must advocate punishment for undocumented immigrants in order to be considered “even handed.”

A lot of this opinion is garbage. Violation of absurd policies like the United States immigration policy does not warrant a punishment. There is no moral obligation for immigrants to learn English.

I understand that consensus-building is important, but it feels almost like the bishop is waffling back and forth between the two extremes, as opposed to truly and unreservedly advocating compassion for immigrants.

I think you’re too fast with criticism on something that sounds like a reasonable first step toward reform of our immigration policies. Because you think a law is “absurd” does not mean it’s OK to break that law. The proper route would be to try to effect a change to something more reasonable, which is what is being proposed here. Just as an easy example, if you think a speed limit on a road is too low, that doesn’t mean it’s OK to drive 10 MPH faster than the posted limit. And a penalty for someone who came into this country illegally (and, hence, broke the law) is a very reasonable expectation. And from the perspective of the illegal immigrant, I would think much preferred to deportation.
And nowhere in this document did I see anything that implied that learning English was a moral obligation. It is suggested, along with other actions, as a way to assimilate into the culture of this country. If an individual is going to move to a country to live permanently and become a citizen, does it not make sense to learn the language and customs? As an army brat, we used to live in foreign countries for only 2 to 3 years, yet we made an effort to learn the language and customs. It only makes sense.
I don’t see any evidence of “waffling” in this document either. As each side of the issue is presented, suggestions are offered. That isn’t waffling, that’s seeing from more than one perspective.
So stating that a lot of this opinion is “garbage” is reading it with your perspective fixed and unwavering, unwilling to try to work through to a solution that is fair and reasonable to all concerned, not just the illegal immigrants. The perspective and opinions of the people living and working in this country legally MUST be taken into account. Our livelihood, security and way of life is at stake, and should be protected even as we welcome immigrants to this country.

 

[DaveBj]

For some years now I have been of the opinion that people who are going to emigrate to another country should have the attitude of Ruth, as she was preparing to emigrate from her native land of Moab to Israel. Speaking to Naomi, she said (in paraphrase), "Your people (i.e., the people, culture, and language of your country) shall be my people (and culture, and language), and your God shall be my God (I could get into something here, but I’m going to let those words stand on their own).

Those of us who are of my age remember the refugee disaster that followed the 1975 takeover of the entirety of Vietnam by the Communists. Many refugees were taken in by the Scandinavian countries. We visited Norway in 1989, and on our first evening there our hosts took us to the small central shoppin mall in Gjovik. As we were walking through the mall, I saw a Vietnamese family walking toward us, a father, mother, and two or three children. They were chattering among themselves, and as they drew near, I heard that they were talking, not in Vietnamese, but in fluent Norwegian.

Would to God that our current crop of immigrants had the same attitude.

 

[stanczyk]

I think you’re too fast with criticism on something that sounds like a reasonable first step toward reform of our immigration policies. Because you think a law is “absurd” does not mean it’s OK to break that law.

The law is absurd. There is no rational basis for it; immigration is good for the economy. Any opposition to immigration is based on ignorance of its benefits and/or xenophobia. Moreover, because laws obstructing free immigration as so ridiculous, the hinderance of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants is by no means “commensurate” with their crime.

Immigrating to the USA in order to work is not something that should be against the law, and all compassion demands that we work to change the law to accord with this reality. Phrases like “commensurate punishment” are great wishy-washy terms because people read what they want into them. People who are opposed to free immigration see some sort of stern punishment as “commensurate.” People with a good attitude toward supportive of free immigration interpret a" commensurate" as little or no punishment at all, which is how it should be.

The proper route would be to try to effect a change to something more reasonable, which is what is being proposed here.

I wish that were true, but what I read in the Bishop’s statement is more like one step forward and two steps back.

I
So stating that a lot of this opinion is “garbage” is reading it with your perspective fixed and unwavering, unwilling to try to work through to a solution that is fair and reasonable to all concerned, not just the illegal immigrants. The perspective and opinions of the people living and working in this country legally MUST be taken into account. Our livelihood, security and way of life is at stake, and should be protected even as we welcome immigrants to this country.

This is the absurdity I was referring to. This bad, wrongheaded attitude. Our livelihood is only improved by free immigration. Our economy thrives on immigrants who come to this country to work, and we should embrace and receive them warmly, without demanding or expecting them to change their culture.

I would have been far more impressed with this bishop if he had been true to the words of Deuteronomy 10:19, Matthew 25:40, and John 13:34, which necessitate the unequivocal support of free immigration. Instead, what we have here is more pandering to the lowest common denominator, people who want to see innocent, hard-working people punished just because they are foreign.

 

[stanczyk]

They were chattering among themselves, and as they drew near, I heard that they were talking, not in Vietnamese, but in fluent Norwegian.

Would to God that our current crop of immigrants had the same attitude.

Not everybody is as gifted as this particular family, and I know many Vietnamese immigrants who have been unable to learn English even after decades in the USA. Whether your native language is Vietnamese or Spanish, English or Norweigan, all people should be welcomed and tolerated, in accordance with the teachings of Christ. Christ never conditioned His love on a particular linguistic proficiency, nor should we.

I’ll pray that the hearts of nativists are softened and that all people will learn to accept and tolerate the differences of their brothers and sisters.

 

[pnewton]

Not too bad; certainly better than it could have been. It’s a shame that one must advocate punishment for undocumented immigrants in order to be considered “even handed.”

A lot of this opinion is garbage. Violation of absurd policies like the United States immigration policy does not warrant a punishment.

Did you not get the part about the purpose of the rule of law? We simply cannot allow a violation of every law just because one thinks it absured. I come to a stop sign in a stupid place. Do I have the right to run the stop sign because of the absurd placement? The bishop is calling for imprisonment, only some sort of penalty, a way to balance the good the illegal immigrant has gained from American society, so that he may enter citizenship.

It has always been a principle that one is allowed to engage in civil disobedience in violation an unjust law. However, such civil disobedience must include the willingness to pay the penalty for the violation of that unjust law. A Catholic should not embrace one part of this doctrine and ignore the hard part.

 

[pnewton]

I found the letter to be rather balanced, though the passage in Timothy is that charity is to begin within one’s own family, not “at home” as in one’s country. I also think America is capable of handling quite a bit of *managed *immigration, if we were to make a path of citizenship for all.

 

[ringil]

This I agree with. I like the emphasis on the rule of the law and that nobody is above the law. I wish the USCCB had come out with a statement like this.

You mean you would rather to have a statement more in line with GOP principles?

 

[_Abyssinia]

You mean you would rather to have a statement more in line with GOP principles?

The USSCB statement said:

Despite your contributions to the well-being of our country, instead of receiving our thanks, you are often treated as criminals because you have violated current immigration laws.

catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12645

But people who violate the laws are criminals. That is a major flaw in the statement.

 

[stanczyk]

The USSCB statement said:

Despite your contributions to the well-being of our country, instead of receiving our thanks, you are often treated as criminals because you have violated current immigration laws.

catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12645
.

Thank God for the wisdom and compassion of those bishop!

The lack of a just, humane and effective reform of immigration laws negatively affects the common good of the entire United States. It pains and saddens us that many of our Catholic brothers and sisters have not supported our petitions for changes in the immigration law that will protect your basic rights while you contribute your hard work to our country.

Couldn’t have said it better. All those who oppose free immigration should take note! This letter is important for all Catholics to read. Thank you so much for posting it, Abyssinia!

 

[_Abyssinia]

Thank God for the wisdom and compassion of those bishop!

Couldn’t have said it better. All those who oppose free immigration should take note! This letter is important for all Catholics to read. Thank you so much for posting it, Abyssinia!

Legal immigration is one thing, illegal immigration is another. If the Bishops had just called for immigration reform fine, but they went to far in my opinion in saying that illegal immigrants were not criminals - they are. Nowhere in Catholic teaching have I heard it read that it is acceptable to break the law. I think the statement from the Kansas Bishops is more in line with Catholic teaching on immigration.