Catholic Bishops Denounce Immigration Raids as Anti-Family (by Jennifer Svetlik)
Last year I lived in a Catholic Worker house that offers hospitality to immigrants without first inquiring about their legal status. One day, a woman called the house on behalf of two young boys who had come home to an empty apartment; their parents had been taken in a raid, and the boys had no other relatives or friends in the country. They had been born in the U.S., but their parents were undocumented workers; the raid had traumatized and temporarily orphaned them. They were afraid to leave their home and had no idea how to locate their parents.
Unfortunately, these boys' story is not unique. Over the past year, throughout the country the Department of Homeland Security has conducted increasingly numerous worksite enforcement raids that target employers who hire unauthorized workers. During these raids, large numbers of workers who have often worked in difficult and appalling conditions are arrested. Children are separated from their working parents for days at a time, and community life is disrupted.
Last week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement urging Homeland Security to discontinue worksite enforcement raids until several "humanitarian safeguards" are put into place. The statement says, "The humanitarian costs of these raids are immeasurable and unacceptable in a civilized society" and reminds us that "many families never recover, others never reunite."
Catholic social teaching states that the family is the "fundamental institution upon which society and government itself depends" and that the family "must be supported and strengthened." May Christians follow the lead of these courageous bishops to speak with one voice, urging the government to support families and put an end to the inhumane practices of worksite enforcement raids.
Jennifer Svetlik is a policy and organizing assistant at Sojourners.
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Comments
Just last month the nurse next door was arrested for embezzling from my neighbor that she was there to serve. Now her kids are at home alone without a mother as she awaits trail. Why did they have to arrested her it was only $25,000? Poor kids.
And let us not forget the poor Melinedes brothers in California who murdered their parents and then pleaded for mercy from the courts because they were orphains.
Will it ever stop?
Roger
Posted by: roger | September 15, 2008 11:21 AM
roger - go guy!
I wonder if all these people that will champanion the cause of illegal immigrats world do so if they were loosing their jobs to illegals in their communities? It is OK to care about them as long as they are not in your town. Then again the LL in EDINA hire them because they will work cheaper than the companies that have been in business for years and doing the samething. But it is the 'buck' that is more important because you have to have a lot of money to keep you child in private school.
Blessings to all -
.
Posted by: big guy | September 15, 2008 11:37 AM
I am sorry that the families are broken up but that does not mean that the Catholic Church should defend the employers of these people. In doing so they are promoting "enslavement" of families and defiling the Law of God as stated in the Old Testament fourteen times.
I wonder if they are denying the sacraments to these employers of illegal immigrants as they deny politicians who support the right of choice. In the eyes of God, sin is sin.
These families are being paid sub standard wages, often in forced labor conditions and are being held captive by fear. These people have placed greed and profits above human dignity and deserve no defence. The Church should instead take the victims in and care for them rather than try to stop the government from taking on the law breakers, the enslavers.
Posted by: Paul, seeking wisdom | September 15, 2008 11:53 AM
Carl Copas wrote on the NRA thread (September 14, 2008 9:11 PM), "GP is getting to be a little too much like Hannity and Colmes or the McLaughlin Report, rather than Christians discussing issues as fellow Kingdom citizens."
Considering the first two posts here, Carl is quite correct.
Posted by: Don | September 15, 2008 11:54 AM
"They had been born in the U.S., but their parents were undocumented workers"
That brings up a good point. We should end this silly practice of granting citizenship to children of illegals who dash across the border as they give birth like a third and 2 dive into the end zone for a touchdown.
Posted by: Peter S. | September 15, 2008 11:55 AM
I wonder how frequently the law-enforcement authorities are arresting the American employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. This issue follows the basic economic model of "supply and demand." Once the demand for cheap labor is terminated, the "supply problem" will be alleviated.
Posted by: Sister Marie | September 15, 2008 11:59 AM
Since when did Jesus tell us we were only to care for the poor if doing so didn't encroach on our own personal prosperity?
Posted by: kash | September 15, 2008 12:00 PM
I wonder how frequently the law-enforcement authorities are arresting the American employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. This issue follows the basic economic model of "supply and demand." Once the demand for cheap labor is terminated, the "supply problem" will be alleviated.
Posted by: Sister Marie | September 15, 2008 11:59 AM
------------
Sister I think this is the first time that I 100% agree with one of your posts! I don't blame the migrants, I blame those that aid and abed them once they are here.
We need 1.) better border security, 2.) strict enforcement of labor laws for employers, 3.) fix the process for legitimate migrants and immigrants.
Posted by: Peter S. | September 15, 2008 12:07 PM
Posted by: Sister Marie | September 15, 2008 11:59 AM
I wonder how frequently the law-enforcement authorities are arresting the American employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
They have in the past and they should in the future. If they were going after the empolyer I believe there would be less of this going on in the US.
Blessings to all -
.
Posted by: big guy | September 15, 2008 12:11 PM
Posted by: Don | September 15, 2008 11:54 AM
Considering the first two posts here, Carl is quite correct.
So - which one if Hannity and which one is Colmes? (LOL)
So - are you saying that GP should only be for liberals and that conservatives should leave or be limited in their ability to post here?
Blessings to all -
.
Posted by: big guy | September 15, 2008 12:21 PM
So - are you saying that GP should only be for liberals and that conservatives should leave or be limited in their ability to post here?
No. But, presuming that most who post here--liberal or conservative--are professing Christians, shouldn't we be discussing how our Christian faith informs the topic, or at least trying to understand what our faith says about it, rather than just repeating opinions from secular sources?
The comment from Carl Copas that I quoted was a response to someone else who was lamenting that nobody had responded to an earlier post on the NRA thread that was trying to do just that--trying to understand how the life and teachings of Jesus might inform and impact the discussion of gun "rights." Instead, this comment went on to say, the posts take off with opinion, counter-opinion, and emotion, with little thought to the faith angle. I think Carl was simply saying that too often we make GP sound no different from the kind of thing we might see or hear on a secular news forum or panel discussion--all opinion based on secular talking points and opinions and little faith-informed dialogue. Don't some of the posts here sound that way?
Peace,
Posted by: Don | September 15, 2008 1:02 PM
Don writes: "shouldn't we be discussing how our Christian faith informs the topic"
Good idea. Perhaps Jim Wallis et al would care to tell us why they support policies that would cause even more people to try to cross into the U.S. illegally, with many dying along the way. The only way to sharply reduce border deaths is to either declare open borders to stringently enforce our laws. Wallis et al support neither of those options.
While leaving comments here is useful, it would be even more effective if someone could make those points to Wallis' face and then upload his response to Youtube.
Posted by: 24AheadDotCom | September 15, 2008 2:05 PM
big gig: "So - are you saying that GP should only be for liberals and that conservatives should leave or be limited in their ability to post here?"
Don already spoke for himself, but I would add that it would be nice if the conservative viewpoint was expressed without personal attacks against Jim and people who tend to agree with him. You're getting better at this and so are many of the other long-time dissenters, but if Peter S. continues in his character assassinations I'll request to BeliefNet that he be barred from the site. It is unfair to the majority of readers and to the authors to have to constantly read these when we come here for respectful debate and discussion.
Posted by: I and I | September 15, 2008 2:30 PM
In my city, just the other weekend, an undocumented alien from Guatamala smashed his car into a pick-up truck that was stopped at a red light. The pick-up flew into a nearby ice cream store killing two kids enjoying an ice cream as well as the driver of the pick-up.
The Guatamalean took off and was later tracked down and arrested. He's been in trouble with the law often, has numerous warrants, and a handful of aliases. Consequently, he's never been prosecuted and never been sent back home as a general menace to society.
Local police say they can't do anything about folks like him because the Feds don't allow it.
Somewhere between workplace raids and this man being allowed to destroy lives, there has to be a balance. 3 innocent victims died a senseless death because we cannot figure this immigration thing out.
Posted by: Connie | September 15, 2008 3:30 PM
to Paul "seeking wisdom"...?? You sure have a long way to go! Hint; Start with the Greatest Commandment.
and big guy sending "blessings"??? From how you write...thanks, but no thanks! I'll get my blessings from the Christ-like types.
Posted by: Mary | September 15, 2008 4:11 PM
Some have asked for what Jesus would have said about treating illegal immigrants. I don't claim to speak for Jesus, but this parable has given me some insight. I hope it helps this discourse also. In these verses I don't read here that "neighbor" is defined as someone who lives next door, but as someone who needs help. Samaritans were not highly thought of in the Jewish community in Jesus time, this parable would have shocked his listeners.
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, `Love your neighbour as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10 v 25-37
Question: If the "liberal left" are taking in the wounded and beaten of our society, are they "loving their neighbors as themselves"? What does that say to those who say they love God but pass by on the other side?
Posted by: Lori | September 15, 2008 4:14 PM
Amen, Lori!!!!!
Posted by: Mary | September 15, 2008 4:18 PM
Illegal immigration actually brings more to mind the vinyard owner who hires people and pays them the same wage regardless of how much they work. The type of work is the same in many cases, agriculture, and the pay practices described work about the same too. The owner of the vinyard also tells the complaining workers that basically he will pay what he wants to.
Yes, I know the point of the parable. But the reality, there is great injustice too in forcing poor people to leave their families and homes to come to the US to work. From the migrants and illegal workers I know, they have little to no desire to live in the US; they send their money home to Mexico to support their families there. It is more just to encourage the global and international justice that would save illegal immigrants the deadly voyage to California, Florida, Texas and north, when they can remain in the homeland. Punish the employers who exploit these vulnerable, but realize that illegal immigrant labor also undoes the gains by labor unions for wages and working conditions for American workers.
Posted by: Howard | September 15, 2008 5:10 PM
"Just last month the nurse next door was arrested for embezzling from my neighbor that she was there to serve." roger
That just goes to show ya; ya can't trust nurses!
Pax Christi
P.S. Stories like these make me proud to be Catholic!
Posted by: neuro_nurse | September 15, 2008 6:01 PM
I personally find it very enabling and not loving to let people break the law and not have to face consequences for it. I don't think it is what Jesus would do.
So, in my perfect world, both the employers and illegal immigrants would have to face the consequences of what they've done. I think they're being very irresponsible about their kids when they stay here illegally. What do they think will happen?
And employers, do they not know they should be shut down for hiring illegal immigrants?
Posted by: frankie | September 15, 2008 6:08 PM
Have any of you seen the Immigration Gumballs video? It is shocking and is a must see for either side. Try to wrap your head around the numbers. The man explaining takes little gumballs in glass jars to demonstrate to us all the consequences of continuing at the present rate of immigration. Please watch this video and you won't ever think about immigration in America the same way again. The youtube is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ
Thank you for watching to the very end.
Posted by: Michele | September 15, 2008 6:41 PM
The overwhelming factors driving people to enter and work in the United States illegally have far more to do with international trade policies and economic change in home countries (ask why it can cost more to buy a chicken in Mexico City than in the United States). And it's happening across the world.
Rather than parrot the angry rhetoric of anti-immigrant activists, take a moment to imagine and (as Jesus did) empathize with the circumstances of people trying to support their families. Otherwise, you're only throwing rocks at the already poor and oppressed; which isn't really going to do much to help American-born workers. Remember that the best way to improve wages for American workers in industries with many undocumented employees would probably be to legalize undocumented immigrants so that they can't be so easily exploited.
People have a right to be upset about the 11 million or so undocumented immigrants living in the United States because we've failed to enforce labor laws and haven't required employers to only hire legal residents of the United States. But the Catholic Bishops are right to remind us all that immigrants are human beings that contribute to their communities and love their family members. They are also right to remind us that some laws are wrong, and the methods our nation use to enforce bad laws can sometimes only serve to bring us shame.
Posted by: Rich | September 15, 2008 6:54 PM
I cannot see my lord denying anybody, regardless of borders or ethnic background, a chance to grow and prosper in "his" land wherever that may be.
I place my bible and my god above my politics. Many of the laws of man are a direct juxtaposition to that of god. I feed and cloth migrant and poor workers any time I have the chance and will continue to do so regardless of how it might look in the eyes of some, as I am only concerned with how it looks in the eyes of my lord.
Posted by: Scott | September 15, 2008 8:27 PM
Didn't Joseph, Mary and Jesus emigrate to Egypt for about 10 or 12 years? Would that have made Jesus an immigrant then?
Posted by: ando | September 15, 2008 8:50 PM
So, the solution offered by the left, the far-left (like Wallis), and corrupt religious leaders (also like Wallis) is to "solve" the problem by making things worse for everyone involved? If there's economic dislocation and bad conditions in other countries, allowing people to move here at will is not a viable solution. It's the solution of those who can't think thing through or those who are too corrupt to care about the impacts of their policies.
As outlined above, there's an extremely simple way for those on the American side of things to solve this issue: go to public events where people like Wallis take questions and engage them in a bit of a debate. Not a rant, a debate. If you ask the right questions, Wallis will be discredited. And, if video of Wallis being discredited is uploaded to Youtube it will help encourage the others.
Posted by: 24AheadDotCom | September 15, 2008 10:38 PM
"Now her kids are at home alone without a mother as she awaits trail. Why did they have to arrested her it was only $25,000? Poor kids."
Posted by: roger | September 15, 2008 11:21 AM
"roger - go guy!
I wonder if all these people that will champanion the cause of illegal immigrats world do so if they were loosing their jobs to illegals in their communities?"
Posted by: big guy | September 15, 2008 11:37 AM
It's widely rumored that most of the illegals are here to learn English grammar and spelling from us.
Posted by: canucklehead | September 15, 2008 11:24 PM
It's widely rumored that most of the illegals are here to learn English grammar and spelling from us.
Heaven help them if that be true!
Posted by: Don | September 16, 2008 6:59 AM
Posted by: I and I | September 15, 2008 2:30 PM
'...expressed without personal attacks against Jim and people who tend to agree...'
So - nobaody argues with the landlord?
Jim has 'attacked' many in the public sector and many times not just the views on issues. I believe that issues should be paramount but even I have been attacked by some to the extent that I do not reply to their posts. May I suggest the same to you rather than adding to the whole mess. I really enjoy reading your posts as they, at times, amke me look from a different perspective.
Blessings to all -
.
Posted by: big guy | September 16, 2008 9:28 AM
I have in the past said that the 'anchor baby' provision should be eliminated. Yes - it is working for those who come here and have a baby, then try to stay because their infant is a citizen. I believe that they should have to reside in the US for min. of a year before they could claim this if at all.
Now - try this one on for size. They come here and have the baby - which now is a US citizen. They return to their country and have a life with family and friends. Now - many years later their 'citizen child' comes to the US and as a retired person demands their benefits - which they will be entitled to claim. Now - their parents are elderly and infirmed and they bring them here which they can because they are a citizen. They place them in a nursing facility and they will get all the care that we supply even though they have not contributed to the system. The 'citizen child' now can go back to their country and live while collecting their 'benefits' and having their parent taken care of here at tax payer expense.
We are going to hang our children and grand children with this one too?
Blessings to all -
.
Posted by: big guy | September 16, 2008 9:39 AM
Why do some assume that Jesus, Mary and Joseph migrated to Egypt illegally? We know that Joseph went to pay his taxes, and when he went there was no room at the inn.
Why does, "I was a stranger and you took me in" mean illegal immigrants but not sex offenders who have no where to go now?
So when it's a immigrant, Jesus wouldn't deny them the opportunity to "grow and prosper in his land" but He tells the rich man to sell all that he has to follow him. The Son of Man himself had no place to lay his head.
Posted by: frankie | September 16, 2008 10:34 AM
canucklehead: "It's widely rumored that most of the illegals are here to learn English grammar and spelling from us."
ROFL
Posted by: carl copas | September 16, 2008 11:59 AM
Posted by: canucklehead | September 15, 2008 11:24 PM
'It's widely rumored that most of the illegals are here to learn English grammar and spelling from us.'
They will not learn the latter from me. LOL!!!!!
Blessings to all -
.
Posted by: big guy | September 16, 2008 12:21 PM
Hmmmm... so we need to eliminate, relax, turn a blind eye to people who kowingly violate our laws and enter our country illegally BECAUSE "The family must be strengthened and supported"??
Doesn't the first ressponsiblity of that strength and support begin with the parents? If they intentionaly endanger their children's well being by endangering their family unit through an illegal act, why does the responsiblity rest with the ligal citizens of the US, and the US government??
If a citizen committs a felony, should we not arrest them in a mall or store,or their place of work, imprison them and subject them to the full power of the law because to do so might endanger the strength of the family unit?? Please.
Until we take the profit motive out of illegal immigration...from employers,the illegal employees, and the Mexican government ... we will never stem the flow of illegals into this country, and Mexico will never have an impetus to stop it either.
Stop making these people seem like innocent vicgtims of a cruel society. They are lawbreakers, and we have the right and the obligation to enforce the law.
Posted by: dromedaryhump | September 16, 2008 8:19 PM
PS: if the catholc church is really concerned about supporting the family unit, maybe they should consider an increase in their focus on priestly sex abuse, which they have done a rather poor job of doing.
When the catholic church does that, maybe then their two cents about how a sovereign country enforces its criminal laws can be taken seriously.
Posted by: dromedaryhump | September 16, 2008 8:24 PM
"Why do some assume that Jesus, Mary and Joseph migrated to Egypt illegally? We know that Joseph went to pay his taxes, and when he went there was no room at the inn."
No, see, there was this guy Herod -- a really bad dude -- who was trying to do away with Jesus. So, you know, Joseph tried to make his family's lot better by going to a place that had a brighter future.
Sound familiar?
Posted by: ando | September 17, 2008 6:18 PM
ando said: who was trying to do away with Jesus. So, you know, Joseph tried to make his family's lot better by going to a place that had a brighter future.
Uh... are you suggesting that:
a) Egypt had immigration laws and that jesus' family violated them?
b) that mexican children are being exterminated by the President of Mexico? Or maybe just those mexican children named Jesus? :)
When will you Christians quit reinventing reality and invoking fictional biblical imagry to support it? It just makes you look silly.
Posted by: dromedaryhump | September 17, 2008 8:36 PM
Howard says:"...there is great injustice too in forcing poor people to leave their families and homes to come to the US to work."
No one "forces" them to look for work here. When you are living in abject poverty and have been told that there are people in the North who will hire hard workers, and pay them more in a day than can be earned in a month or two at home, you may look at your family and decide to sacrifice yourself to help them. And "sacrifice" is the correct word, since the dangers of coming here illegally are extreme. And please note: if people could come here on a work visa, they would, and return home when the work season is done. They would also gladly pay union dues, or whatever was required, but that is not even an option for the ones who live in poverty. As far as taxes go, they are already often paying into income tax, and always are paying in the things they buy here, as well as the property taxes paid by landlords or by the immigrants themselves, etc.
Frankie, D.hump, and Moderatelad, aka Big guy: Joseph fled to Egypt to protect his family. He went to Bethlehem to pay his taxes. Two different places. Regardless, he had reason to believe that they wouldn't survive ih their own country. Are they executing little Mexican children in Mexico? No, but in extreme poverty, death of the children and the elderly is a real possibility. And in many of the other countries beyond Mexico, yes, they are killing the children, as well as parents, which is why many seek a place of safety. (Since the US has had a direct hand in the politics of these countries, maybe we have a responsibility to some degree.)
Oh, and unlike sex offenses and assorted other activiites, coming here to work, without documents, is NOT a felony. It is a misdemeanor stemming from some very dysfunctional laws, which have a penalty that sometimes is the equivalent of a sentence of death.
Kudos to Rich's note. Well thought out! I support your ideas: "Remember that the best way to improve wages for American workers in industries with many undocumented employees would probably be to legalize undocumented immigrants so that they can't be so easily exploited." This is one of many good reasons to reform some of the laws.
Rich also said:"...take a moment to imagine and (as Jesus did) empathize with the circumstances of people trying to support their families."
And also, "But the Catholic Bishops are right to remind us all that immigrants are human beings that contribute to their communities and love their family members. They are also right to remind us that some laws are wrong, and the methods our nation use to enforce bad laws can sometimes only serve to bring us shame."
I really appreciated the way you put these points, and agree completely.
Posted by: janible | September 17, 2008 11:11 PM
Janible said: As far as taxes go, they are already often paying into income tax, and always are paying in the things they buy here, as well as the property taxes paid by landlords or by the immigrants themselves, etc.
I say: The only way an illegal can be paying income tax, is if they are working with an U.S. citizen's stolen S.S.# or fraudulent documents. In either case, both are felonies. Most illegals are working with both and several fake or stolen identities. Oh, one more thing, prostitutes and drug dealers pay taxes. Are you saying they should not be punished? A crime is a crime. Illegal is illegal, no matter how much you want to excuse it away.
Janible said: Oh, and unlike sex offenses and assorted other activities, coming here to work, without documents, is NOT a felony. It is a misdemeanor stemming from some very dysfunctional laws, which have a penalty that sometimes is the equivalent of a sentence of death.
I say: Coming here to work, without legal documentation is a misdemeanor, but comes with a punishment. That punishment is Deportation. Now, the majority of illegals, are working with stolen or fake documents, which then, is a felony. A felony that carries a sentence of prison time. As for our immigration laws being dysfunctional, who gets to decide that? Tens of millions of illegal foreign nationals or the U.S. citizens of this country? Mexico imprisons anyone in their country, illegally, then they deport them. We have the same right to make and to enforce any immigration laws, we deem to benefit our citizens, not the illegal aliens.
Janible quoted Rich: Rich also said:"...take a moment to imagine and (as Jesus did) empathize with the circumstances of people trying to support their families."
I say: I empathize with 304,000,000 million U.S. citizens, who are trying to support their families. We must take care of our own, before we feed others. We have tens of millions of U.S. citizens suffering. They are the first of our problems.
Janible quotes Rich some more: And also, "But the Catholic Bishops are right to remind us all that immigrants are human beings that contribute to their communities and love their family members. They are also right to remind us that some laws are wrong, and the methods our nation use to enforce bad laws can sometimes only serve to bring us shame."
I say: Prostitutes, thieves and drug dealers are human beings, too. But...we punish them for their crimes. So, we must do the same to illegal aliens. Our laws are not wrong for our citizens. Every sovereign nation has the right to determine, what is best for its' citizens. We have the same Equal Right as the rest of the world to protect our citizens from foreign invasion. When, you have approximately 20,000,000 of another country's people in your country, without your permission, that is an invasion.
Jesus said: Obey the laws of the land.
Posted by: Suzie | September 18, 2008 5:35 PM
Suzie, I can see that you feel very strongly about this issue, and believe what you have been told about the immigration laws, the consensus of the majority of the citizens in our country, the fairness or lack thereof of treating people with mercy, and so on. Please check your sources. If you have been listening to such people as Lou Dobbs, be aware that there has been a lot of lies put forth by these people. Much of their "facts" are blatant fabrications derived from such sources as FAIR [Federation of American Immigration Reform], which has direct connections with white supremacist groups.
And Jesus never said, "Obey the laws of the land". In fact, one of the reasons the Pharisees had Him arrested was His persistent breaking of the laws of His culture, such as healing on the Sabbath, and being in actual physical contact with lepers, a menstruating woman, Samaritans. Jesus always spoke about having concrete compassion and mercy for the marginalized, the poor, the condemned, the stranger.
Posted by: Janible | September 22, 2008 10:16 PM
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