ELCA NEWS SERVICE
September 14, 2006
Lutherans Continue Call For Comprehensive Immigration Reform
06-139-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Several religious leaders called on the
U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform -- not
just "enforcement only" legislation -- in a national conference
call Sept. 12 with news reporters. One of the speakers was the
Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Ralston H. Deffenbaugh Jr., president of Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), Baltimore, hosted the
conference call of interfaith leaders. LIRS is a cooperative
agency of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
In December 2005 the U.S. House of Representatives approved
legislation that emphasizes enforcement of immigration laws and
border security, and would make it a criminal offense to aid a
person who is in the United States illegally. In June the U.S.
Senate approved a bill that would provide for a more
"comprehensive" approach to immigration reform. That
legislation, favored by U.S. President George W. Bush, would
provide for border security and enforcement while protecting
workers' rights and making it possible for undocumented workers
to seek legal status or to eventually become U.S. citizens.
Members of both houses must agree on a compromise proposal.
It seems unlikely that Congress will conclude its work on
immigration before the new Congress convenes in 2007, Deffenbaugh
said.
Calling immigration "a contentious issue" in the United
States and the world, Deffenbaugh said immigrants "are people,
not statistics," created in the image of God.
In commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the Sept. 11,
2001, terror attacks, Bouman noted that New Yorkers and others
depended on the goodwill of people around the world for healing.
"Immigrants are in our congregations. The Bible is clear about
welcoming the stranger," he said. Bouman called enforcement-only
legislation "fool's gold" that only distracts from the broken
policy beneath it, he said.
"From my heart, we are calling -- I am calling -- for a
comprehensive approach toward loving our neighbor," Bouman said.
People who may be opposed to the idea of comprehensive
reform learn about the "giftedness" of their neighbors when they
interact with other communities, he said. Bouman added that the
2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted a proposal to initiate an
immigration task force in every synod, and that the ELCA
Conference of Bishops had formed a task force on the topic.
Other church leaders emphasized similar themes. "We
strongly oppose a bill that would separate families," said the
Rev. Mari Castellanos, United Church of Christ, Washington, D.C.
Sister Ann Curtis, RSM, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas,
said her constituents "reject border enforcement only. Why is
our southern border the most militarized border in the world
where there are two countries not at war?" she asked.
She said it is vitally important that religious leaders find
opportunities to share their views on immigration with members of
Congress. "It is critical to raise up the faith perspective
whenever possible," Curtis said.
Castellanos added that people of faith have done a lot to
mobilize members on the immigration issue, but religious leaders
have become frustrated because news organizations haven't paid
much attention.
Many of the church leaders criticized how the immigration
discussion has become politicized. "Politics is taking
precedence over policy, and that is very said," said Fr. Michael
Leonard, Chicago Irish Immigrant Support Center.
The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez Jr., National Hispanic Christian
Leadership Conference, based in Sacramento, Calif., said, "It is
morally reprehensible to keep 12 million people in limbo for the
sake of political expediency. Our desire is for every ...
immigrant to become a productive citizen." Protecting U.S.
borders and protecting immigrants protects "the American dream,"
he said, adding that the Latino community will not stand by and
allow border-protection-only legislation to pass in Congress.
Bhai Gurdarshan Singh, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (Sikh),
Rockville, Md., said, "we are all immigrants." He said he prays
that U.S. lawmakers will pass a comprehensive bill. Some 12
million undocumented workers in the United States are "hard-
working, God-loving people who want to make this great nation
their home," he said.
Rabbi Scott Sperling, Union for Reform Judaism, New York,
said an enforcement-only policy ignores human needs. Immigration
policy must be generous and fair, he said. National solutions are
required, not "piecemeal" actions by individual states, Sperling
added.
Others who spoke on the conference call were Dr. Khaleel
Mohammed, imam and professor of religion, San Diego (Calif.)
State University, and the Rev. Derrick Harkins, pastor,
Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
---
Information about Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
is at http://www.lirs.org on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
