“But we won’t ignore people in need, and we won’t be quiet about laws that don’t work — or that, in their “working,” create impossible contradictions and suffering. Despite all of the heated public argument over the past year, Americans still find themselves stuck with an immigration system that adequately serves no one. We urgently need the kind of immigration reform that will address our economic and security needs, but also regularize the status of the many decent undocumented immigrants who help our society to grow. A new Congress sits in Washington. Its members have an extraordinary opportunity to act quickly and justly to solve this problem. If they don’t, the responsibility for failure will be on them and on all of us who elected them.”
Sadly, the immigration bill was blocked in the Senate from a final vote when it fell short of 14 votes. It may not be until next year when the issue is brought to Congress again.
The question remains: what will be the fate of the 12+ million illegal immigrants who are currently living and working in this country? Will we see more deportations? Of course we will.
Will Christians stand on the sidelines saying: “but they broke the law! They are criminals!” When have Christians become so complacent with unjust laws? When, as Catholics, we stopped questioning the morality behind certain legislations? When did we forget that the human person precedes any State?
This issue reminds me of John Paul II’s words on the Message for the 1996 World Migration Day:
“His irregular legal status cannot allow the migrant to lose his dignity, since he is endowed with inalienable rights, which can neither be violated nor ignored. (no. 2)
The first way to help these people is to listen to them in order to become acquainted with their situation, and, whatever their legal status with regard to State law, to provide them with the necessary means of subsistence. (no. 3)”
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