IMMIGRATIONGiulio Grecchi

Society of St. Vincent de PaulTucson Diocesan Council

Western Region Voice of the Poor Leader

IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject

“Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of us Anglifying them, and they will never adopt our Language and Customs, any more than they can acquire our complexion?”

Benjamin Franklin (1751)

Who said this?

IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject

“The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions, whom we shall welcome to participate in all of our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment.”George Washington,

addressing Irish immigrants (1783)

Who said this?

IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject

“Our capacity to maintain our cherished institutions stand diluted by a stream of alien blood… It is out of appreciation of this fundamental fact that the American people have come to sanction – indeed demand – reform of our immigration laws… The United States is our land; we intend to maintain it so.”

Albert JohnsonKey author of the

Immigration Act of 1924

Who said this?

IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject

“We must recognize that both the United States and Mexico have historically benefited from Mexicans obtaining employment in the United States. A number of our States have special labor needs, and we should take these into account. Illegal immigrants in considerable numbers have become productive members of our society and are a basic part of our work force. Those who have established equities in the United States should be recognized and accorded legal status. At the same time, we must not encourage illegal immigration.” 

Ronald Reagan (1981)

Who said this?

IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject

What messages are your hearingabout the current immigration

situation?

(indicate the PRO and the CON))

IMMIGRATION

1996

IMMIGRATION

We do have an Immigration System!

Why don’t Immigrants follow it?

IMMIGRATION

First attempt at correcting the situation:

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007• A compromise between a path

to citizenship for immigrants and increased border enforcement.

• Failed in the Senate in June 2007

IMMIGRATION

Second attempt by the Gang of 8:

Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 - S.744• Senate passed S.744, by a bipartisan

vote of 68-32 in June 2013• Path to Citizenship, Border Security,

Improved Legal Immigration System, Employment Verification System, Agricultural and Low-skilled Workers and Protection of Workers’ Rights

IMMIGRATION: Consequences of inaction

11.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrants$17.8 Billion spent on Border Enforcement

IMMIGRATIONConsequences

of inaction

11.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrants • A new underclass• Living in the shadows• Working unofficially or with false SS

numbers• Afraid to be found /deported, do not

report crimes• No civic involvement

IMMIGRATIONConsequences

of inaction Prevention through deterrent - 2269 deaths (1999-2012)

Site where a migrant woman died, with a makeshift cross and shrine built by other migrants.

SOUTHERN ARIZONA

TUCSON

PHOENIX

IMMIGRATION

Consequences of inaction Increasingly we have seen children traveling alone• Either to escape violence• Or the rejoin their family

The shrine built for Josseline at the site of her death

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Two steepening of the curve:• 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act• 2005 Federal “fast track” legal process – Operation Streamline

Consequences of inaction Increased number of deportations

IMMIGRATION

• Criminal organizations• Drug Cartels• For profit prisons

Consequences of inaction Immigration restrictions provide strong incentives to: Coyote leading a group

across the desert

What a for-profit prison looks like

IMMIGRATION

• Detention of families, mainly women and children, fleeing from Central American countries. • Church Sanctuary Movement has stepped-up to shield

immigrants facing deportation• Sanctuary cities

Other Consequences of inaction

IMMIGRATION

We need a better

system!

Current situation

IMMIGRATION

Current situation

A better system would include:(from USCCB – Justice for Immigrants)

1 - Path to citizenship for undocumented persons 2 - Family unity as a corner-stone of our approach to immigration3 - Legal paths for low-skilled migrants to come and work in the US 4 - Due process protections in enforcement policies5 - Address persecution and economic disparity in their home countries

Genesis 12 –Abraham’s journey

Exodus 14 – Crossing the Red Sea

God told Moses in Leviticus 19: 33-34

“Speak to the whole community and say to them: When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were once aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

IMMIGRATION

Our Religious Heritage

Matthew 2: 13-15 – Flight to Egypt

In Ephesians 2: 17-20, St. Paul reminds us that: “[Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.”

IMMIGRATION

Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration

Pope Pius XII - Exul Familia – 1952:• Goods of the earth

belong to all • Right to migrate to

sustain one’s family• Right to control one’s

borders; but it is not an absolute right, when it limits the greater good

• Balance needs of immigrants & the needs of the receiving countries

Pope John XXIII - Pacem in Terris – 1963Expands right to migrate; stresses right to find opportunities to sustain life within ones’ own country

IMMIGRATION

Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on ImmigrationPope John Paul II

- World Migration Day – 1996Church has duty to be close to the illegal migrant- Ecclesia in America – 1999Argued against unjust restrictionsand for human dignity of migrants

Pope Benedict XVI - Caritas in Veritate – 2009Every migrant is a human person,with rights to be respected

IMMIGRATION

Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration

Pope Francis

“In this globalized world, we have fallen into globalized indifference. We have become used to the suffering of others.” “The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts. Have we put a sign on the door saying: Do not disturb?”

IMMIGRATION

Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration

1. Persons have the right to find opportunities that will allow them to live in dignity in their homeland

2. Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families if they are unable to do so in their own countries

3. Nations have the right to control their borders4. Refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence

and persecution should be afforded protection by the international community

5. The dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be protected

6. Family unity among immigrant families should be protected and upheld

7. Our traditions call on us to welcome the stranger among us

"Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope“ - 2003

IMMIGRATIONOUR WAY FORWARD

Help to build a “better system” Stay Informed

Familiarize yourself with

proposed legislation

Write or Call Legislators

Publically support immigration

reform