Archbishop Chaput: Immigration proposal merits support
.- Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver is calling for support for the current Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1348). The bill is currently in debate in the U.S. Senate. The debate is expected to continue into early June.
Leaders from both political parties have taken the right course in advancing the bill, said the archbishop. The bill is not ideal, he said, but it does push a vital reform process forward.
Normally I support Archbishop Chaput on the issues that he chooses to espouse. His stands on pro-life issues are particularly strong. However, on the issue of Illegal Immigration, he and I must respectfully part ways. I do commend him on the courage he showed in admitting that: "Americans are right to worry about public security, jobs, respect for the law, and the solvency of public institutions." But to that short list he should add: the concern for the crushing financial burden that we will be placing on ourselves and on our children as well as the artificial suppression of wages that we can continue to expect due to a massive influx of low and unskilled labor.I was also pleased that the Archbishop recognized: “People who seek justice for immigrants sometimes downplay these worries, or write them off as veiled prejudice. This is a mistake. These are legitimate concerns and proper areas for debate. But they need to be weighed in light of other legitimate concerns."
I still have not heard an adequate explanation of why we must, as a people, receive and indeed embrace millions of people who knowingly committed a crime by entering this country illegally. What possible moral justification can there be for admitting millions of gate-crashers who don't even have the intent of assimilating into the culture of this country? Instead their intent is to live off the bounty of the land while remaining part of their home culture and country.
Perhaps if Archbishop Chaput and the rest of the "open borders" crowd were to wake up one morning to find a family of illegal aliens on their doorstep demanding to be allowed to reside in their homes indefinitely, perhaps then they would understand the genuine concerns of the majority of legal people in the United States. When these same "open borders" people asked for the authorities to remove the unwanted and uninvited "guests" in their homes and were called "bigoted" for their trouble, then perhaps they would better understand. But somehow I don't think they would ever let them over their doorsteps in the first place.
The Archbishop continued with this statement: “While areas of the proposed legislation do arguably need improvement, Senate bill 1348 Immigration reform needs to happen this year, since no one will be eager to handle it in an election year, We can no longer wait to address this pressing issue. Delaying a solution will only lead to more enforcement raids, bitter debate, confusion and resentment.”
Archbishop Chaput, if you want to see "bitter debate, confusion and resentment", then just wait until this bill is passed and the law-abiding citizens of this country will wonder why they should have been law-abiding in the first place when lawlessness is rewarded so handsomely.
Archbishop Chaput: Immigration proposal merits support
Labels: Catholic, Catholicism, Chaput, Immigration
posted by Norm Johnson @ 1:22 PM
3 Comments:
"What possible moral justification can there be for admitting millions of gate-crashers who don't even have the intent of assimilating into the culture of this country? Instead their intent is to live off the bounty of the land while remaining part of their home culture and country."
What is the moral justification of our country having an immigration quota? Nobody's personal rights are trampled by someone else being here, regardless of where they came from.
Hi Peter,
I have to disagree with you. I don't know where you get the idea that a large number of illegal immigrants will have no impact on our country and our society. Any expense that they incur will need to be paid by somebody. And that somebody will be the American citizens. These costs are and will not be welcomed by the taxpayers nor will anyone appreciate that their wages will be driven down by the flood of cheap labor coming unchecked across our border. Finally, what about the criminal element that most assuredly is crossing over the border along with all of the "hard-working aliens" seeking a better life?
Hello Norm,
I understand all too well the displeasure it brings to bear the thought of the financial and social "change" that such open migration would bring (and is already).
However, i would ask that you consider from a purely moral standpoint that none of these things that would cause us discomfort is an unalienable right protected by the premise of this country. We do not have any inherent right to free education, health care, English only language, economic ease, etc. No, the premise of our country's founding is based on the notion that "all men" are created equal, with the same rights endowed by God.
This is an important point to make and i don't make it lightly. Who are we to tell someone else they cannot pursue life, liberty or happiness for themselves and their own? And additionally, back to my original point, none of the things you mention infringe upon my unalienable rights. In fact, my actively opposing their entrance into the country could quite reasonbly be infringing upon theirs in some cases.
Now, the criminal element is what i've determined as the only real threat to our rights by such migration. However, even at liberal estimates of "bad seeds", a blanket refusal of migration based on this alone forces us to hold quite a separatist and un-Christian in my mind view of people we know nothing about.
Instead, I do think that it is unreasonable to suggest that adequate measures to as best ensure that those migrating are coming for the right reasons (i.e. not to commit crimes) are not to be used. One can buy a weapon in most states and get a background check in the process in under 15 minutes. Why then would it be unreasonable to do similar background checks on those wishing to enter our country? Obviously this wouldn't be fool-proof, but realistically what is? Isolationism is not in our charge to "feed the hungry, clothe the naked" and treat the alien as our neighbor.
And don't get me wrong. Such widespread change scares the heck out of me too. But fear is not what our faith should be about, nor our politics. And until someone can give me a valid moral reason why a family of 5 moving in next door to me, whether they be Mexican, Morroccan, Chinese or Australian is a very real threat to my unalienable rights as a human being.....I have to be honest and say that just because something is a law, does not make it necessarily just.
God bless.
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