I’ve been away in Texas (see my Texas posts if you haven’t already), so will have some catching up to do.
From National Catholic Reporter we learn that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Migration Committee chairman, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, has gone on the record saying no more detention centers for illegal migrants, let in the Central America ‘children,’ and bring in 65,000 Syrians while you are at it!
He also says the Bishops support so-called ‘Comprehensive Immigration Reform’ (aka amnesty) in Congress. I sure hope they aren’t lobbying with some of the millions of taxpayer dollars they receive every year!
Everywhere I go, including in Texas this week, Catholics I meet are stunned to learn how far Left the Catholic Bishops are.
Here is the National Catholic Reporter:
Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo said the Migration Committee he chairs continues the push for reform of the immigration detention system in addition to comprehensive immigration reform. He noted that the latter has stalled in the House of Representatives and that the U.S. bishops supported executive actions by the Obama administration, itself currently tied up in the courts, to provide deferred deportation and work authorization to people in the country illegally.
On the detention camps, Elizondo referenced the bishops’ May report that called for alternatives to family detention.
[….]
He said the committee supports the U.S. Department of State’s in-country processing of children in danger in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, which allows them to apply for asylum without having to make the journey to the U.S. border. The committee also advocates a massive increase in the number of Syrian refugees, including religious minorities from Syria and Iraq, accepted into the U.S.: a target of 65,000 of the most vulnerable in the next two years, compared to the 673 resettled since 2011. [Mark my words, only a small fraction, less than 8% at the present rate, will be “religious minorities” and he knows it! So far 92% are Sunni Muslims—ed]
Elizondo said he hopes Pope Francis will spotlight immigration reform during his September visit to the U.S., particularly during his Sept. 24 address to Congress.
If the Pope plans to lecture us about immigration maybe some good Catholics should protest!
You have got to tell Congress NO to 65,000 Syrians! See my youtube video on what you have to do, if you haven’t already.
Endnote to my new Texas friends: California and Texas are tied for being the top resettlement states for Syrians so far.