Rep. Westmoreland is on the list

I realize that many people feel very passionately about immigration. I like many of you are products of people who have immigrated to this country. The media had their voice on the issue (unfortunately it is usually not the Catholic/Christian perspective) and the Church in the US has its voice through various means, not the least of which is the Justice for Immigrants campaign. I would ask you to go and check out the Bishops site, it is very educational. Irrespective of where you find yourself on the issues now, one thing I think we can all agree on is that there is need for comprehensive immigration reform, the SAVE Act does not accomplish that end. I would ask you help in contacting your Representative if their name is on the list, mine (Rep. Lynn Westmoreland) name is on the list and express your disappointment (if you do call Rep. Westmoreland's office, tell them you saw this post on my blog). If they are not on the list, call them and urge them not to sign the discharge petition. If you need to find out who your Representative is you can go here. I would not do this action alert justice but Chris West who works for CRS but is presently working with the USCCB has the following to say. Peace

TAKE ACTION NOW! Click here to find out if your Representative has signed the discharge petition for the Shuler-Tancredo (SAVE Act) bill that would allow the bill to come to the floor for a vote.

• If your Representatives have signed the petition, please contact them and express your disappointment.
• If your Representatives have not signed the petition, please urge them not to.

What does this have to do with my faith? Our faith teaches us to uphold the dignity of every person and to act in solidarity with our brothers and sisters worldwide, especially the poor. The U.S. Catholic Bishops have clearly stated that immigration policy should be designed to enhance and affirm the basic protection of human dignity and human rights.

What is the problem with the Shuler-Tancredo bill? The Shuler-Tancredo bill, H.R. 4088, only addresses issues concerning immigration enforcement and will fail because it does not fix the wider problems with our broken legal immigration system. The U.S. Catholic Bishops believe that, if enacted, this bill will drive undocumented immigrants and their families further underground, creating a hidden society of persons without full rights in their communities. It also would strengthen the operation of unscrupulous smuggling networks that exploit desperate migrants looking for work in the United States.

What is the Church's position on immigration reform? The Catholic Bishops of the United States have repeatedly urged Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform that not only addresses border security and strengthens immigration enforcement but also requires undocumented immigrants to legalize their status and deals with future immigration flows. For more information visit the Justice for Immigrants website