ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 16, 2009  

ELCA Council Approves Social Policy Resolution on Immigration
09-259-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to a need for specific policy language
to address current immigration matters, the Church Council of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved a social policy
resolution on immigration Nov. 14. The resolution, "Toward Compassionate,
Just and Wise Immigration Reform," addresses family and workplace issues,
enforcement of immigration laws, protection of refugees and forced
migration.
      The council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the
legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies.  The
council met here Nov. 13-15. Assemblies are held every other year; the
next is in 2011 in Orlando, Fla.
      Social policy resolutions address particular matters of social
concern.  The resolution supplements a 1998 ELCA message on immigration
and provides policy specifics, said the Rev. Roger A. Willer, director,
Department for Studies, ELCA Church in Society.
      "The ELCA has a long history of helping immigrants, refugees and
asylum seekers settle in the United States, and supporting fair and
generous immigration policies," the resolution said. "Social conditions
and historical events in this decade call for renewed attention to
immigration."
      The resolution noted that an estimated 12 million "unauthorized
immigrants," about one-half of whom are couples with children, reside in
the United States.  They are "living in the shadows, vulnerable to
injustice and mistreatment, and (represent) a mass violation of the rule
of the law," the resolution said.
      The resolution cites "other factors" such as the 2006 immigration
demonstrations across the nation and the emphasis on national security
and immigration enforcement following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks
on the United States.
      "I speak strongly in favor of this immigration message and the
urgency of it," said the Rev. Gerald L. Mansholt, bishop, ELCA Central
States Synod, Kansas City, Mo. Mansholt is a member of the ELCA
Conference of Bishops' special interest group on immigration.
      "The message is very urgent because of a broken immigration system
in this country. (It) reflects the realities of the plight of many
immigrants," he said.
      Mansholt said the resolution addresses post-9/11 behavior and how
immigrants have been treated.  He said it lifts up the work of Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), addresses care for families
and "care for the most vulnerable."
     LIRS, based in Baltimore, is a leading agency in welcoming and
advocating for refugees and immigrants. LIRS works on behalf of the ELCA,
the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.
     The resolution calls for U.S. government action on several
immigration matters.  Among them are:
+ putting a priority on family reunification, and welcome and care for
unaccompanied children
+ facilitating an orderly, regulated flow of workers, consistent with
America's labor needs and obligations
+ protecting the nation's borders while establishing "clear protocols and
safeguards" for raids on worksites that ensure immigrant families and
local communities are not harmed
+ reforming the U.S. refugee resettlement system
+ addressing root causes of forced migration
     The resolution will be available in both English and Spanish, said
Kristi S. Bangert, executive director, ELCA Communication Services.
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     Information about how the ELCA addresses social policy is at
http://www.ELCA.org/socialissues on the Web.

For information contact:
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