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Pope Benedict XVI
Vatican City, JUNE 5, 2005
…Recalling this great bishop,
(Blessed Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, bishop and patron of
immigrants) my thoughts go to those who are far from their homeland
and often also from their families; I hope that they will always
meet receptive friends and hearts on their path who are capable of
supporting them in the difficulties of every day.
The Church hears the
suffering cry of all who are uprooted from their own land, of
families forcefully separated, of those who, in the rapid changes of
our day, are unable to find a stable home anywhere. She senses the
anguish of those without rights, without any security, at the mercy
of every kind of exploitation, and she supports them in their
unhappiness.
[We are called to
work] so that every person's dignity is respected, the immigrant is
welcomed as a brother or sister, and all humanity forms a united
family which knows how to appreciate with discernment the different
cultures which comprise it.
(January 23, 1999)
In its history, America has experienced many immigrations, as waves
of men and women came to its various regions in the hope of a better
future… The Church is well aware of the problems created by this
situation and is committed to spare no effort in developing her own
pastoral strategy among these immigrant people, in order to help
them settle in their new land and to foster a welcoming attitude
among the local population, in the belief that a mutual openness
will bring enrichment to all.
Migrants should be
met with a hospitable and welcoming attitude which can encourage
them to become part of the Church's life, always with due regard for
their freedom and their specific cultural identity.
The
Most Reverend Kevin Farrell, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington and member
of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops Committee on Migration
From the viewpoint of the U.S.
bishops, it has been apparent for several years that our immigration
system is broken and badly in need of repair. The U.S. Bishops are
united in the view that migration is beneficial to our
nation—economically, socially, and culturally. The strength of our
nation comes from its diversity and from the hard work and
contributions of immigrants who have come to our shores over the
past two hundred years. It is our identity and our soul.
President George W. Bush
February 2, 2005,
State of the Union Address
America's immigration system is
also outdated -- unsuited to the needs of our economy and to the
values of our country. We should not be content with laws that
punish hardworking people who want only to provide for their
families, and deny businesses willing workers, and invite chaos at
our border. It is time for an immigration policy that permits
temporary guest workers to fill jobs Americans will not take, that
rejects amnesty, that tells us who is entering and leaving our
country, and that closes the border to drug dealers and terrorists.
Linda
Chavez-Thompson, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President
June 15, 2005,
Statement at Immigrant Worker Rights Press
Briefing
Immigrants in
this country are coming under attack... the wave of anti-immigrant
sentiment has grown to tidal size and right now immigrant workers in
this country need immediate and aggressive action by all of us in
their defense. We are working harder and closer than ever before to
combat the rebirth of these ugly anti-immigrant forces.
We cannot shy away
from the cruel fact that immigrants are systematically denied their
most basic rights both as workers and as human beings. Too often,
employers don't pay them their wages, retaliate against them for
exercising their legal rights, discriminate against them because
they're immigrants, and forcefully interfere when they try to
improve their wages and working conditions through forming unions…
Alan Greenspan, Federal
Reserve Chairman
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan
recently spoke on immigration in response to a question from the House
of Representative Financial Services Committee:
I
think that immigration has been very important to the success of
this country and I fully support it. I'm not sure I would want to
give the reason that we're creating immigration to support our
Social Security system. I think we ought to do it on the grounds
that it is good for the country but not because it helps the Social
Security fund -- because that then suggests that if we find other
means to solve the Social Security problem that we shouldn't be
expanding immigration and I would not support that.
John F.
Kennedy
Everywhere immigrants have
enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life.
The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio,
Bishop of Brooklyn
October 4, 2003, Statement at the
Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride
The reality is that our current
system is immoral. While many may condemn the presence of the
undocumented in our land, we willingly accept their hard labor,
their contributions to our economy, and their cultural and religious
spirit which enriches our local communities. While we accept these
contributions, we do so at the expense of the human beings who come
here—not to harm us but to help us. They are often ridiculed,
exploited, and abused. This must stop, and this immoral system must
be changed.
The Most Reverend
Gerald R. Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino
December 10, 2003,
Statement on the Repeal
of California SB 60
Let us, Christians and
Non-Christians alike, join in a civil discourse over the complex
issues of immigration that acknowledges the enormous contributions
being made by our immigrant peoples. Together, let us seek solutions
to this issue that treat all with the respect and dignity due to
every human being, every son and daughter of God.
His Eminence Theodore Cardinal
McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington
June 2, 2005, Editorial in the Catholic
Standard, “To be Clear”
We need a strong and clear
immigration policy. It must serve our country's security and
prosperity and at the same time be based on the moral values on
which all our lives must ultimately rest. We must never forget the
Gospel call of Jesus "to welcome the stranger" for in the face of
this stranger, we see the face of Christ.
R.
Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Immigration issues have always
been complex, but our nation’s safety and financial viability
depends on the answer. It is time for the administration and
Congress to grapple with these difficult questions and move forward
with real solutions.
His Eminence Roger Mahony, Archbishop
of Los Angeles
June 1, 2005, Editorial in the Los
Angeles Times, “A Nation That Should Know Better”
Providing a clear route to legal status for longtime residents and
providing legal entry to migrants would not only help cure the
excesses of a flawed system but ensure that our nation benefits from
the contributions of immigrants participating as full members of
their communities. Although some in the public square consider any
such rule changes a reward for lawbreakers, we should look at the
issue holistically and realistically, and understand that the
current law is unjust and must be changed.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Remember, remember always, that all of us...
are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.
Most Reverend James Tamayo, Bishop of
Laredo
May 10, 2005, Statement at the Justice
for Immigrants Launching Press Conference
We can no longer accept a
situation in which some public officials and members of our
communities scapegoat immigrants at the same time our nation
benefits from their labor. We can no longer accept a status quo in
which migrants are compelled to risk their lives in order to support
their families. We can no longer accept a reality in which migrants
fill jobs critical to Americans and U.S. employers without receiving
appropriate wages and benefits. We can no longer tolerate the death
of human beings in the desert.
John Sweeney,
AFL-CIO President
April 20, 2005,
Statement on the Senate Immigration Debate
…As the
only organization in our country dedicated exclusively to standing
up for working people and their families it is our job to continue
our fight for ensuring the rights and freedoms of all workers
regardless of their immigration status.
Most Reverend Thomas
Wenski, Bishop of Orlando
May 13, 2005,
Column “U.S. immigration policy outdated and unjust toward working
Immigrants.”
The so-called
“illegals” are so not because they wish to defy the law; but,
because the law does not provide them with any channels to
regularize their status in our country – which needs their labor:
they are not breaking the law, the law is breaking them.
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