Senators need to hear Catholic voice on immigration reform

Intermountain Catholic

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For many years now, Catholics across the nation have been marching, praying, protesting and speaking out on behalf of our brothers and sisters who live and work in this country without legal documentation. At long last, we see signs of hope in the form of Senate Bill 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.

But our work is not done and Catholic voices from Utah are especially needed at this crucial time.

Both of our U.S. senators serve on the committee that is considering the bill and 300 proposed amendments. While we are particularly grateful to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) for his recent comments in support of humane immigration reform, we are concerned about some of the 24 amendments he is offering. Utah Catholics need to thank the senator for his service and encourage him to support comprehensive reform, including a path to citizenship that is not unduly burdensome.

Elected officials act on behalf of their constituents. If their constituents are silent, the only voices they may hear are those who do not understand the human costs imposed by our current broken system. In fact, opponents of immigration reform are heavily funded and already out in force, prepared to spend millions to keep undocumented workers living in the shadows. Some of the current groups in opposition to S. 744 were involved in defeating comprehensive reform in 2007, in large part by inundating congressional fax and answering machines and email inboxes with often inflammatory messages of opposition.

In past conversations with the Utah congressional delegation, our senators and representatives have noted that they do not hear from their constituents. Catholics in Utah must not remain silent. Our social doctrine reminds us that "The word of the Gospel ... is not only to be heard but is also to be observed and put into practice."

I urge you all to join with me in encouraging Senators Hatch and Lee to welcome the stranger and enact immigration reform that truly recognizes and promotes the dignity of our fellow human beings.

Over the course of the next few weeks, the bill will be amended, debated and amended again. It is imperative that Senators Hatch and Lee hear a strong and steady message from their Catholic constituents that reinforces our support for:

A path to citizenship for the undocumented that is achievable, set within a reasonable time frame and includes the maximum number of persons;

The protection and enhancement of the family-based immigration system – based on the union of a husband and a wife and their children – including the reduction of backlogs and the shortening of waiting times;

A program that allows low-skilled migrant workers to enter and work in the United States legally and safely, includes appropriate wage and worker protections, allows for family unity, and provides workers the option to apply for permanent residency and eventual citizenship;

The restoration of due process protections for immigrants removed by the 1996 Illegal Immigrant Responsibility and Immigration Reform Act;

The adoption of policies that address the root causes, or push factors, of irregular migration, such as persecution and the absence of living wage jobs in sending communities; and

The protection of other vulnerable populations, including refugees, asylum-seekers, and unaccompanied children.

In the words of Blessed Pope John Paul II, "[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...."

One vital way we do this is by advocating on behalf of individuals and families who live, work, worship and participate in our society without enjoying the rights and responsibilities of legal status.

Please call or write Senators Hatch and Lee today, tell them you are a Catholic, a constituent of theirs, and a voter and that you support humane immigration reform.

(For information about how to contact your senator, including addresses and phone numbers, see the story 'How to contact your senators' on the home page.)