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WASHINGTON LETTER Jul-14-2006 (940 words) Backgrounder and analysis. With photo. xxxn
Diverse faiths joining effort to pursue broad immigration fixes
By Patricia Zapor
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The sizzling nationwide debate about immigration may have focused little to date on religious teachings about welcoming immigrants, but participants at an interfaith conference made it clear that they intend to make that a part of the discussion.
Jewish, evangelical, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist and Catholic speakers at the July 12 conference in Washington all pointed to various parts of Scripture as the basis for faith traditions that support the right of people to migrate and that call believers to treat "the stranger" as a valued member of society.
But Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., said he has seen little evidence of that being raised in the ongoing debate. "I don't think there's a theological perspective" being effectively brought into discussions about pending immigration legislation, he said. "That's not in the debate."
The House and Senate have passed widely differing versions of immigration reform bills and remain at an impasse this summer while each body hosts further hearings on the topic around the country.
Brownback, a Catholic, encouraged the religious leaders at the conference to jump into the "big, noisy debate" about immigration law and policy.
"It needs lots of voices," he said, particularly those offering a moral perspective.
Although faith-based morality is a part of American society, "as a country we generally shy away from talking about theology," Brownback said. That's all the more reason for people whose perspectives on immigration are rooted in their faith to get over their reluctance to be involved in public policy debates and speak up, he added.
Churches were among the organizers and supporters of the massive pro-immigrant rallies around the country this spring. The leadership organizations of many faiths also have issued strong statements of support for comprehensive immigration reform.
The U.S. Catholic bishops have, as a group and individually, issued dozens of statements in recent years about how U.S. law and policy should protect immigrants while enabling the government to keep control of its borders. Among the most recent was a statement issued by the bishops' president, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., who said in June that current U.S. law and practice are "morally unacceptable and must be changed."
An interfaith statement on immigration reform that has been circulating since late in 2005 has more than 150 signatories from a wide spectrum of faiths. This summer at their annual meetings, various denominations approved statements and letters outlining their positions.
At its 75th General Convention this summer, the Episcopal Church adopted a resolution outlining fundamental immigration principles as the church's policy.
Similar to those of many other denominations, those principles hold that:
-- "Undocumented aliens should have reasonable opportunity to pursue permanent residency.
-- "Legal workers should be allowed to enter the United States to respond to recognized labor force needs.
-- "Close family members should be allowed to reunite without undue delay with individuals lawfully present in the United States.
-- "Fundamental U.S. principles of legal due process should be granted all persons.
-- "Enforcement of national borders and immigration policies should be proportional and humane."
The Episcopalians' resolution also calls for a campaign to educate church members about immigration-related issues as a matter of Christian responsibility and to advocate on immigrants' behalf.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2005 launched a similar Justice for Immigrants campaign.
The Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners and an evangelical minister, said it was a turning point for people of all religions when Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles this spring said he would instruct his priests to break the law if a House-passed bill criminalizing the act of providing aid to illegal immigrants became law.
"When Cardinal Mahony's column came out (in The New York Times March 22) it made shock waves in this town," Rev. Wallis said.
Behind Cardinal Mahony's words was the implicit statement that "when you attack immigrants you attack us in the religious community," Rev. Wallis said. That was rightly heard as a warning in Washington.
"This town had better be careful what it does here," he said.
Rabbi Steve Grutow, executive director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said the history of the Jewish people brings a clear perspective on what it means to be a stranger in a strange land.
"In much of our history, we didn't have control over our own land," he said. The plight of biblical Jews is "not much different from the poor, undocumented immigrant in our country today."
The Rev. Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, said the most effective way of helping Southern Baptists understand a Christian's obligation toward immigrants is to remind them "we are of two kingdoms, a kingdom of God and a kingdom of man."
While Christians' obligations to obey a duly installed government are biblically rooted, Rev. Land said, that only goes so far when the government itself is failing its obligations when it comes to immigration.
"When you have the government massively ignoring the law, that erodes the rule of law," Rev. Land said. Christians also are obliged to "act redemptively," he added.
"As Christians we have a responsibility to reach out to those who are hurting, whether they are legal or not," he said.
Noting that the term "amnesty" for illegal immigrants has come be a hot-button topic in legislation discussions, Father Michael Leonard, an Irish priest who is director of the Chicago Irish Immigrant Support Center, proposed an "amnesty" for political leaders.
"They've got until November to fix this job," he said. "If not, we get them out of there."
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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