Presbyterians urged to support immigration bill and oppose ‘amendments posed against it’
By Craig M. Kibler, Staff Writer, June 28, 2007
Criticizing what it calls “the negative impact of the growing effort to make the [United States’] border more secure,” the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is urging Presbyterians to support proposed federal immigration legislation and to oppose “amendments posed against it.”
In a “Washington Alert” e-mail sent to Presbyterians across the country, the Washington Office criticized present border security efforts, saying they are “designed to move migrant patterns further into the more dangerous part of the borderlands, by increasing the number of federal agents, and by deploying armed National Guard to the already volatile region.”
The “Washington Alert” urges “advocates” to support legislation by a group of U.S. senators led by Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., saying that this group “will watch all amendments carefully. They need your help with calls or e-mail to your senators and representatives.”
Citing as its rationale what it called “a set of principles to guide Presbyterians as they work on immigration issues” approved by the 2006 General Assembly, the Washington Office listed what it call “specific recommendations” for immigration policy as follows:
- “Challenge each Presbyterian congregation and presbytery to embrace a comprehensive approach to ‘advocacy and welcome’ for immigrants that includes, at the very minimum:
- 1. “An opportunity for hard-working immigrants who are already contributing to this country to come out of the shadows, regularize their status upon satisfaction of reasonable criteria and, over time, pursue an option to become lawful permanent residents and eventually United States citizens;
- 2. “Reforms in our family-based immigration system to significantly reduce waiting times for separated families who currently wait many years to be reunited;
- 3. “The creation of legal avenues for workers and their families who wish to migrate to the U.S. to enter our country and work in a safe, legal and orderly manner with their rights fully protected;
- 4. “Border protection policies that are consistent with humanitarian values and with the need to treat all individuals with respect, while allowing the authorities to carry out the critical task of identifying and preventing entry of terrorists and dangerous criminals, as well as pursuing the legitimate task of implementing American immigration policy.
- 5. “A call for living wages and safe working conditions for workers of United States-owned companies in other countries;
- 6. “A call for greater economic development in poor countries to decrease the economic desperation, which forces the division of families and migration;
- “Encourage legislators serving in the House and Senate to actively work across party lines to achieve legislation that is consistent with the principles stated in recommendation above.”
- “Express our grave concern about the negative impact of the growing effort to make the border more secure through building walls designed to move migrant patterns further into the more dangerous part of the borderlands, by increasing the number of federal agents, and by deploying armed National Guard to the already volatile region.”
Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications for the Presbyterian Lay Committee and Executive Editor of The Layman and The Layman Online. He can be reached at cmkibler@layman.org.