(Reuters) - The nation’s 33 Hispanic Roman Catholic Bishops released on Monday a strongly worded “letter to immigrants” suggesting illegal immigrants deserve thanks from Americans, and calling for “denunciation of the forces which oppress them.”
reuters.com/article/2011/12/12/us-immigration-bishops-idUSTRE7BB1M120111212The bishops have come out in support of comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants before, as they do again in the letter, but it uses stronger language and goes further in offering support to undocumented immigrants.
I was just thinking and I totally agree with your assessment here. I also totally agree with the bishops. We need immigration reform desperately. I am in favor of having compassion on illegal immigrants. That said, I am also in favor of an immigration reform option that includes amnesty to illegal immigrants who have been here for a certain amount of time and do not have a criminal record other than the crime of immigrating here illegally.Indeed, the people who are here are to be treated with compassion. Breaking up families in not the Christian way. Since we are not committed to closing the border, we must accept the consequences of our own ability to come up with either a legal plan or to close the border.
Though it has been suggested that they place a burden upon the medical system, the fact is that illegal immigrants pay taxes contrary to assertions that they pay no taxes. In many cases, they pay into social security but will never collect because it’s under a false identity.
I found this offensive": **Mehlman said the idea of the U.S. owing thanks to illegal immigrants was particularly offensive.
“It demonstrates that they simply don’t understand the concept of what immigration law is all about,” he said. “Ask the guy who used to do the job that is now being done by an illegal immigrant if they think the illegal immigrant needs to be thanked.”**
I would ask Mehlman to show me the illegal immigrant who took someone’s job. I don’t pick lettuce and I don’t harvest potatos on Long Island. Show me the man or woman who has lost his job under this economic crisis and Mehlman should prove to me that this person has been looking for a job as a diswasher, in a restaurant, and has been denied, or has been looking for a job as a migrant worker.
Employers don’t even pay them a living wage because the employer knows that the employee fears recourse from the employer and from the government. If anything the offenders are the places that hire – not the person seeking work. Last, illegal immigration is down. We are no longer the land of milk and honey that we once were – not that picking lettuce is what I call a job.
I have a healthy respect for law, but here in NY, no doctor, nurse, dentist nor teacher is allowed to turn in a suspected illegal, as it should be. Nor would I deny a child a free edcuation because to do so perpetuates a system of poverty. Nor would I deny free medical care. God forbid they had something contagious and were afraid to seek medical attention, thereby running the risk of infecting innocent people.
Christian compassion. The Bishops are right. And Mehlman is offensive to suggest that Catholics are in favor of illegal immigration as a “recruitment tool.” Seems that it would appear that Mehlman fears Catholics more than he fear immigrants.
The Bishops want just immigrations laws for illegals, not an open border with limitless illegal immigration.
I believe that the bishops are stating a simple truth. In the past 20 years the prosperity in this country has been in large measure to the immigration from south of the border, leagal or illegal. Their labor has made labor and services and goods at attificially low prices.reuters.com/article/2011/12/12/us-immigration-bishops-idUSTRE7BB1M120111212
I am honestly not sure what to think about this. I wish I had a Catholic source for this article but I don’t know where one is. What do you all think about this?
“Labor at artifically low prices” = low wages, so that is not really a positive effect of illegal immigration. As for the “path to citizenship,” why should someone who did not immigrate legally get a “path to citizenship,” whereas my father and my grandmother who immigrated LEGALLY be forced to pay over $1,000 each in application fees if they want to be United States Citizens? I think a better solution would be:I believe that the bishops are stating a simple truth. In the past 20 years the prosperity in this country has been in large measure to the immigration from south of the border, leagal or illegal. Their labor has made labor and services and goods at attificially low prices.
Yes these our brothers and sisters need to be thanked for their service and yes a path for citizenship needs to be found for them. The “law” they broke is one that we have choosen to ignor and not enforce, which makes it no law at all. They have also become a sub class, without rights and living in fear.
Catholics who are not listening and accepting the Bishop’s message have let politics and bigotry replace the teachings of Christ in their hearts.
Deacon FAB.
:“Labor at artifically low prices” = low wages, so that is not really a positive effect of illegal immigration. As for the “path to citizenship,” why should someone who did not immigrate legally get a “path to citizenship,” whereas my father and my grandmother who immigrated LEGALLY be forced to pay over $1,000 each in application fees if they want to be United States Citizens?
The Church teachs that a country has this right, but that there must be a better way to allow and process for legal immigration
- Secure the border to stop additional illegal immigration from compounding the problem;
Would tearing families apart, departing children who have spent their entire lives here classify as an extreme hardship? As I said before. this country has chossen not to enforce our borders and our laws. The blaim lies with this country and not those who came here for a better life who we have accepted.
- Deport illegal immigrants when they are found, but, perhaps, allow exceptions in the case of extreme hardship (but define “extreme hardship” very narrowly). Also, cut off any and all federal funding for states, cities, and law enforcement agencies that do not co-operate;
How about requiring employers to pay fair wages, collect the proper taxes, provide health care and stop abusing this labor force. That way many of the complaints about the “cost” of illigegal immigrants would be gone.
- Strict penalties, strictly enforced, for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants;
Depends on how that enforcement is achieved, it must take into account the rights of the indiviual, the rights given to each of us by God, and not by man.
- Don’t stand in the way of state efforts to assist in enforcing immigration laws and;
This is certainly part of the Church’s possition.
- Streamline the process for legal immigration, so we can make sure those who legitimately want to make a better life here can get in, but make sure the criminals stay out.
This is true, but because of some of our enforcment efforts, we are making many, if they could come legally resort to illegal means.We need to remember that not everyone who crosses the southern border has good intentions. A drug smuggler can get across just as easily as a migrant worker.
Are they really? It’s only a misdemeanor to cross the boader illigally. By the way, unless you can say with certainty that you have never ever recieved service from a person here, by your estimation, that that has broken the law, you have participated in the crime, you have enabled it.I’ll give illegal immigrants thanks when they realize they are criminals and quit breaking the law.
YupAre they really?
If the illegal immigrants are somehow legalized, the I think it would be unfair to those who came legally if the others who did not follow the proper procedures were given some kind of advantage. If they have to apply through the same process, take the same tests, pay the same fees, etc. as a legal resident alien would if applying for citizenship, then I would agree that it would be fair.:
My great grand parents came into the country free, weather they paid fees formcitizenship processing I don’t know, I’m certain there were fees. By the way the bishops are not saying that there should not be a cost to for the processing but that there should be a path that is fair.
I’m sure the legal immigration process could be improved, but it would be meaningless if it remains easier to circumvent the process by crossing the border illegally.The Church teachs that a country has this right, but that there must be a better way to allow and process for legal immigration
I think, in some cases, this could be an extreme hardship. Some discretion to grant some sort of visa in these cases might be in order, with the burden of proving the hardship being on the immigrant, by clear and convincing evidence. But I would disagree with granting full resident alien privileges, as, again, that would be unfair to legal immigrants.Would tearing families apart, departing children who have spent their entire lives here classify as an extreme hardship? As I said before. this country has chossen not to enforce our borders and our laws. The blaim lies with this country and not those who came here for a better life who we have accepted.
We have laws that already provide for this. We just need to enforce them.How about requiring employers to pay fair wages, collect the proper taxes, provide health care and stop abusing this labor force. That way many of the complaints about the “cost” of illigegal immigrants would be gone.
Many of the state proposals being challenged by the Federal government do follow basic due process. What it amounts to is that many of those opposed to these state proposals disagree with the existing Federal immigration laws, and would just as soon see them not enforced by anyone.Depends on how that enforcement is achieved, it must take into account the rights of the indiviual, the rights given to each of us by God, and not by man.
That is where we are in agreement. We can’t solve the problem of illegal immigration until we identify and remove any unnecessary barriers to legal immigration.This is certainly part of the Church’s possition.
That’s a complex issue. We don’t want to engage in “telescopic philanthropy”, giving aid to foreign nations, to the detriment of our ability to meet our obligations to our own citizens. Also, delivery of the assitance can be a problem - how do we get it to the people, without some corrupt dictator siphoning it off into his own pockets, or toward building up a hostile military force? Regarding Mexico specifically, we “helped” them in the early '90’s by sending many of our manufacturing jobs south of the border via NAFTA, and, yet, illegal immigration remains an issue.Part of what is missing in these descussions is the responsibilty of the U.S. as a rich nation to help poorer nations.
I would have chosen more precise terminology. It is not this “country” that has chosen not to enforce our borders and our laws, it is rather, a corrupt government that has enticed them here with all manner of rights and benefits, contrary to the common good, and ignored the constitution to advance their own particular political agenda.As I said before. this country has chossen not to enforce our borders and our laws. The blaim lies with this country and not those who came here for a better life who we have accepted.
Be careful, Marty, lest you be accused of being mean, exclusivist and un-Christian.Seriously, what passes for “compassion” on this issue causes more woe than weal when you pull back the curtain.
- Marty Lund
This presents a false dichotomy. Bishops do not have to exclusively deal with one subject at a time. For the record the sex abuse stuff is pretty much cleaned up, as much as humanly possible anyway. Still, I suspect it will continue to brought up to belittle bishops at every opportunity.Besides, I’d rather see the Bishops concentrate on cleaning up the sex abuse scandal rather than commenting on something that’s mostly political…or maybe taking the Mexican government to task to create an environment in Mexico that encourages economic prosperity…
As said, it is a misdemeanor. have you ever broken the speed limit or ran a red light even once? I would hope that you would not want to be treated as a pariah for it.I’ll give illegal immigrants thanks when they realize they are criminals and quit breaking the law.