Let's hear it for Rich Nathan, senior pastor of the Vineyard Church of Columbus for his excellent opinion piece on the need for immigration reform which ran in the Columbus Dispatch yesterday.
He cites the impracticality of deporting 12 million contributing members of society. The whole issue of immigration encompasses a broad range of problems, such as employers willing to exploit cheap labor, a nation running rampant with myths about the reality of illegal immigration and the sheer life-or-death desperation that compels these people to cross the border in the first place. He also explains that there are real, practical solutions available.
He writes:
Furthermore, enforcement-only policies are no solution. Deporting 12 million illegal immigrants is utterly impracticable. Not only would it cost hundreds of billions of dollars ($206 billion over five years, according to the chamber), it would destroy families and communities across the country.
The way forward is clear. We need to secure our borders, crack down on dishonest employers and require illegal immigrants to register with the government and meet certain requirements, including learning English, working and paying taxes before they earn the chance to become citizens. Such practical reforms would strengthen our economy, serve the interests and honor the ideals of our nation, and provide immigrants with the opportunity to fully join our society.
The full text is here of Rich Nathan's piece.
The vision is very similar to the recommendations of the US Catholic Bishops.
As a friend of mine says, "immigration is a reality." How do we deal with this reality? Putting up a wall from Tijuana to Brownsville is juvenile and infeasible. It also doesn't address the massive amount of illegal immigrants from Canada, Europe and elsewhere.
Keeping families together and allowing a temporary worker program so that folks can work in America and take steps toward long-term residency is needed.
As Van Morrison sings, you don't pull no punches, but you don't push the river. This river is flowing. It needs to flow. I believe it flows with the blessing of the Holy Spirit. The river of immigration flows with the Biblical thirst for justice, the hope for safe refuge, the faith in the Promise of the Promised Land, and the love these people have for their families which compels them to risk life and limb for a better tomorrow. If you get in the water and try to push this river, you will find yourself flailing and making a fool out of yourself as the water rushes past you.
Getting caught up in legalities is not how to look at it. The system is broke and people cannot wait until it is fixed. A crying baby needs milk today. Unjust laws need not be followed, especially when the sheer weight of the humanity of 12 million people is pressing against them.
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Our Pax Christi group hosted Angela Johnston, diocesan Director of Latino Ministry last week. She showed the video Dying To Live. From the link: "Dying to Live" is a profound look at the human face of the immigrant. It explores who these people are, why they leave their homes and what they face in their journey.Indeed, the human story can dispel many myths. The one fact that has stuck with me the most is the sheer desperation of these immigrants. These people love their families, their country and their culture. They are not sneaking into America on some "get rich quick" scheme or to rob us of free health benefits. Just consider the facts: Why would anyone risk their lives, live in long-term separation from their families and risk all sorts of other horrors to sneak into America? A person would only do that because their other options are worse.
To them, it is a sheer matter of survival. Economic and political conditions are so bad in their native land that they are forced to try. The ironic part is that those conditions are so bad in large part through the policies of the American government and international businesses.
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From the Bishops' Justice for Immigrants website:On Sunday, March 21st, JFI will host a Mass in support of immigrants with celebrants Cardinal Mahony and Bishop Wester at 11:00am at St. Aloysius Church (19 I Street N.W., Washington DC 20001). Afterward, please join thousands of people on the National Mall to urge our members of Congress to introduce and pass immigration reform legislation. With the expectation that comprehensive immigration reform could soon be considered by Congress, it is crucial that supporters of reform make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. Anyone that cannot attend the March 21st events can still take action in support of reform by sending electronic postcards to your members of Congress postcard.
From a Justice For Immigrants flyer:
Show your solidarity with comprehensive immigration reform
On Sunday March 21, thousands of people from across America—including some 25 buses from Ohio--will travel to Washington DC to call on Congress and the Administration to enact comprehensive immigration reform.
If you want to travel to DC, there are still spaces on a bus from Columbus. Contact Ruben at 614-571-1759, as soon as possible.
If you can’t travel to DC, join Columbus supporters on Saturday, March 20:
9 AM Parish Mass
10:30 AM Welcome & Prayer for Cross-Country Bus Riders
Christ the King Catholic Church
2777 E. Livingston Ave., Columbus 43209 (4 blks west of S. James Rd.)
Come out to welcome and support over 50 Californians from the faith-based community organization, PICO-National Network. They are stopping at Christ the King Church for a brief respite on their cross-country journey to DC. There will be brief witnesses to the need for comprehensive reform. Then we’ll send the bus riders off on their last leg of the journey with prayer & support.
Questions: Nancy Powers, Justice for Immigrants Campaign, Ohio co-coordinator
614-284-3692 or nancy.r.powers@gmail.com.
You can also go here:
1 PM
Rally for Reform
Ohio State House (as the buses leave for D.C.)
For more information about the need for comprehensive immigration reform, go to http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/
9 comments:
For interested parties a new caucus is being formed called , "RECLAIM AMERICAN JOBS.? The American people need to fight back against the illegal immigration occupation, before it too late. Our nation is suffocating under the relentless invasion, that our politicians have ignored for decades. For reasons beyond most peoples understanding, they have blocked any successful way of restrictions of foreign nationals, that have swarmed into every community in this nation. The numbers from government sources and other biased sources proclaim there are only 10 million, with numbers dwindling. However nobody in there right mind believes these numbers, as they have drudged up consistently over the last 10 years ago, without any change.. Tuscon Border Agency says for every one person, that is apprehended 9 disappear into our country. My guess by that, the numbers are infinitely far more. In the neighborhood of 20 to 30 million. 8 million illegal workers at the least escaping detection in the job market and that's why we need E-Verify?
Perhaps that is why our government has sided with the business sector, to just identify--ONLY--new hires. Therefore, millions are not discovered, because they are already working somewhere.undetected. Federal, state county and city don't want you to know, who has already slipped past any enforcement process. I suggest that's why E-Verify has become a menace to corporate welfare. But E-Verify had gained plenty of momentum, and the Democratic leadership led by Sen. Reid, Speaker Pelosi couldn't slip it past public awareness or popularity amongst HONEST BUSINESSMAN. Even Republicans cannot shift the whole blame on Democrats, as equal indifference must be attributed to both politico's.. Of course we always need exceptional highly skilled engineers, scientists, technical personnel, but we certainly do not require semi-skilled workers, or non-skilled, low income, poor foreign nationals who will become a public taxpayer charge, as it is now?
Now we the American people must contend with another Amnesty, Assuming President Obama can force it through. but who pays for the millions already here, or those who try to slip past before the signing. Another amnesty just means more will try to get here, thinking a third will be past at some future date. Not just the overworked border agency, but expired tourist and students at airports. So much is involved in processing new immigrants, that the whole weight falls on the taxpayers. Once here they can sponsor more family members, including those who would spend uncompensated time in emergency rooms. Another burden for luckless taxpayers. Just read the predicament the Sanctuary State of California. http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2010/03/shocking-reality-of-los-angeles-under.html
Frank, you make a compelling argument that encompasses not only the issues of immigrants entering the country but our broken system that tries to solve the problem by shutting people out at the same time as provide them with jobs if they make it through.
There has got to be a better way. Your article points us in the right direction.
Thanks for sharing this.
We need to help each other to promote good works, honesty, respect, etc.
This is the kind of blog post that tackles about the daily life of the common people and I love reading it. Thank you for sharing this us.
Yeah, there should be justice for all immigrants.
I also want justice for all immigrants. Thanks for this update.
Yeah, it is true that there must be a justice for all immigrants. Let's fight for it.
I appreciate people who have a greater concern towards other people. Hope that all people will have that type of thinking.
Helping is not always the issue. The big issue is the heart. It's very ideal that we share our love to others.
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