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Peace be with all!
I know I am about to open a can of worms with this but I think this is a good topic for discussion. Here is the article[/url:1hu4hop0] in it’s entirety.
[quote:1hu4hop0]Two Colorado bishops are urging state lawmakers to legislate for the “common good” on the issue of immigration reform.
In a recent commentary, published in the Denver Post, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver and Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs weighed in on the current statewide debate on immigration reform, which they believe may impact the immigration debate on the national level.
“Two qualities shape the tone of today’s national immigration discussion,” they wrote. “The first is a legitimate concern for public safety, respect for the law and the financial health of our civil institutions and services. The second is a much darker alarmism that would cast many undocumented workers as potential deadbeats or terrorists.”[/quote:1hu4hop0]
So far I am in full agreement with the Bishops.
[quote:1hu4hop0]”We need to resist proposals that emphasize enforcement at the expense of real reform,” they wrote. “Punishing criminals is justice. ; But turning poor people who seek a dignified existence for their families into criminals in order to punish them is not justice.”[/quote:1hu4hop0]
I cannot see the point they are trying to make. If an immigrant is here illegally, then are they not in violation of the law, hence a criminal? As such, how is that [i:1hu4hop0]”…turning poor people… into criminals…”[/i:1hu4hop0]?
[quote:1hu4hop0]The Colorado General Assembly has organized a special session to address immigration reform. It is holding special hearings on a handful of bills designed to increase restrictions on illegal immigrants, including ensuring that only citizens vote, limiting state services – including health services – to illegal immigrants, and toughening sanctions against employers who hire undocumented immigrants, reported the Denver Post.
“We fully support security policies that target real threats to our peace,” the bishops continued. “But that should not require that we push further into the shadows some of the very workers who are strengthening and building our country.” [/quote:1hu4hop0]
If they were here legally they would have nothing to fear and be entitled to these benefits. Just because one is here [i:1hu4hop0]”…building our country…”[/i:1hu4hop0] is that a reason to excuse the violation of law. This statement almost contradicts the earlier statement of [i:1hu4hop0]”…concern for public safety, respect for the law and the financial health of our civil institutions and services…”[/i:1hu4hop0]
[quote:1hu4hop0]Over the past 15 years, Colorado and other states have seen a sharp increase in newcomers, many of them from Latin America. [/quote:1hu4hop0]
Who or from where is not a concern, it is the individuals status in our country that is the core issue. Clouding this topic with race, creed and such only serves to circumvent the law to further agendas as Castro did in the 80’s and as Hatti did in the 90’s.
[quote:1hu4hop0]The bishops urged that the debates in the special session take place in a spirit of goodwill. “If the legislature gets into a contest over which political party can be tougher on ‘illegals,’ we’ll undermine our own best interests and miss an opportunity to help frame the national immigration discussion with common sense and justice,” they said.
Immigration reform is not merely a policy debate. It’s a profoundly moral issue,” they wrote.[/quote:1hu4hop0]
I think most of us wish for people to come to this county, legally, and contribute to the society that will welcome, protect, and provide for them. In same, we cannot risk our own resources and safety to allow undocumented, illegal immigrants to continue to enter our country.
I agree that the laws must be enacted and in enforced focusing on always maintaining the individuals human dignity and with respected for the individual. This does not mean we ignore the fact it is a crime and that we must respond to the violation of law in a manner that discourages future violation.
[quote:1hu4hop0]”Illegal immigration is a serious matter, but it should never be a felony.” [/quote:1hu4hop0]
I disagree, this is a serious crime against the Country, our citizens (natural and naturalized alike) and those immigrates that have come here legally and contribute to the country they now call home.
I can see no conflicting issue with Catholic Moral Teaching, if we handle this issue as I have tried to explain. The issue I see is will the Church in the US work with the Government to create such laws? Or will it become a tool to rally a methodology to excuse the violation and further divide Americans and Catholics?
God Bless!
God gave us this earth for all to share. By criminalizing people who are trying to make a better life for themselves the United States is saying it is above God’s laws.
I totally agree with the U.S. bishops about this issue. I think what’s more important is that people receive basic human services and find employment to support their family rather than having all the right papers to say they can be within our political boundaries.
A deeper understanding of Catholic social teaching will help people see this point of view put out by the bishops.
Saying that they should be documented and legal and all that puts U.S. citizenship greater than being a child of God.
I don’t know about you, but I’m Catholic first, American only by birth.
[quote:1avp21d4]I cannot see the point they are trying to make. If an immigrant is here illegally, then are they not in violation of the law, hence a criminal? As such, how is that “…turning poor people… into criminals…”? [/quote:1avp21d4]
The bishops are, I believe, operating under the assumption that the illegal immigrants they are speaking about in this instance are forced by economic reasons to seek a sort of ‘asylum’ in America.In other, more structured words, they had a choice of stay here and die or break into America and work. Whether that is true or not (and for the vast majority of illegal immigrants, I would say not) is part of the debate.
[quote:1avp21d4]God gave us this earth for all to share. By criminalizing people who are trying to make a better life for themselves the United States is saying it is above God’s laws.[/quote:1avp21d4]
God also subjected us to our kings. We have to render under Ceasar and that is exactly what is not happening among the illegal population. They do not pay taxes but they do drain resources through public services and healthcare.As I mentioned above, (most) illegal immigrants are not coming here because they cannot make a suitable living in their homeland, it is because they can make a better living here. They have no justification for breaking the laws of man because they are not set up in opposition to the laws of God.
[quote:5du1mu3f]The bishops are, I believe, operating under the assumption that the illegal immigrants they are speaking about in this instance are forced by economic reasons to seek a sort of ‘asylum’ in America.[/quote:5du1mu3f]
That is my assumption as well.
[quote:27bezhsl]In other, more structured words, they had a choice of stay here and die or break into America and work. Whether that is true or not (and for the vast majority of illegal immigrants, I would say not) is part of the debate.[/quote:27bezhsl]
[color=darkred:27bezhsl]It is a select few that it is a matter of life and death. For most, it is not. But it’s not just death that justifies a migration. A robbing of basic fundamental freedoms would certainly have me (dare I say most) to move elsewhere. [/color:27bezhsl]
[quote:27bezhsl]God also subjected us to our kings. We have to render under Ceasar and that is exactly what is not happening among the illegal population. They do not pay taxes but they do drain resources through public services and healthcare.[/quote:27bezhsl]
[color=darkred:27bezhsl]The rendering to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s was conditional. I’m sure most of us would not render to Ceasar if Ceasar asked us to surrender our faith. Our courts are already set up to determine what is and what isn’t justfiable. Although it doesn’t do the best job in my opinion, the option for people to come is there. Most get denied and try a different route.[/color:27bezhsl]
[quote:27bezhsl]As I mentioned above, (most) illegal immigrants are not coming here because they cannot make a suitable living in their homeland, it is because they can make a better living here. They have no justification for breaking the laws of man because they are not set up in opposition to the laws of God.[/quote:27bezhsl]
[color=darkred:27bezhsl]I think some do have a justification. But since the message that Latin America is receiving is “we don’t want you here” it does nothing to help the situation in my opinion.[/color:27bezhsl]
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