Immigration: bishop criticizes Secure Communities program
CWN - March 06, 2012
Criticizing the Department of Homeland Security’s Secure Communities program, Auxiliary Bishop Mitchell Rozanski of Baltimore said that an illegal immigrant should “not be detained until he/she has been convicted of a crime that poses a threat to public safety of immigrant communities and families, rather than at the time of arrest.”
Bishop Rozanski added:
The Church acknowledges the right of governments to control and protect its borders however the human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected. Programs like Secure Communities as well as overly-aggressive laws such as those passed in states like Alabama and Arizona underscore the need for comprehensive and just immigration reform.
Enforcement-only immigration policies will not humanely or effectively fix our nation's broken immigration system. It is time for comprehensive and just immigration reform that provides meaningful and adequate legal avenues for migration, compatible with both our future labor needs and our ongoing prioritization of family unity, and includes the targeted, proportional, and human enforcement of immigration laws
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Posted by: unum -
Mar. 07, 2012 9:16 AM ET USA
Justin, the Church has recognized the right of civil authorities to control their countries' borders. Now we see another bishop entering into a federal-state dispute (Alabama & Arizona vs. Obama) that is beyond his expertise and job description. The Catholic faithful need education and leadership from their bishops to be an effective voice for federal immigration reform. Bishop Rozanski and the USCCB are providing neither.
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Posted by: Justin8110 -
Mar. 06, 2012 9:34 PM ET USA
The only reason these States passed such harsh laws is because the Feds have done NOTHING to address the issue. Face it, keeping the immigration system in a state of chaos and limbo serves only the interests of the government and the businesses that can hire these people at near slave wages. The government always has a polarizing election year issue and the companies can threaten deportation if the illegal workers ask for a just wage. Only the government and businesses win in this.
