As an immigration bill failed a key Senate vote today, jeopardizing prospects for immigration reform, Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D., Bishop of Camden, called on lawmakers and the public to seize the opportunity for comprehensive immigration reform.
“The United States faces an historic opportunity to meaningfully address the issue of immigration in this country. This opportunity should not be lost due to partisanship and lack of will. Regardless of one’s place on the political spectrum, we can all agree that the current system has failed and must be reformed. I urge Congress not to put off this important work to another time. This is the moment,” he said (see full statement, below).
Saying the fundamental question is how we treat the most vulnerable among us, Bishop emphasized that the obligation to care for those in need is not conditioned on “whether it is politically expedient, whether it fits within our zone of comfort, or whether it is permitted by law.” Calling “shameful” provisions in the House bill that would make it a felony to enter the country without proper documentation or to assist with humanitarian care those who do, he said these are “punitive, draconian provisions that must be rejected.”
He also criticized the inhumane treatment of intercepted migrants. “People do not give up their human dignity or the right to due process because they—often compelled by forces that left them with no other option—entered this country without proper documentation.”
Bishop also emphasized that violations of the law cannot be encouraged or excused, as well as the right of the U.S. to protect its borders for national security reasons. He noted, however, that border enforcement measures must be coupled with expanded opportunities for safe entry and legalized status, including legalizing the status of the millions of undocumented workers already here through a process of “earned legalization” rather than amnesty.
Earned legalization would require undocumented workers already here to pay fines, undergo security screenings, demonstrate that they are working and paying taxes before they can apply for permanent residency. “Let us abandon complacency and political maneuvering, prejudice and fear, and welcome the stranger among us,” he said.