Posted on 04/29/2006 6:55:38 AM PDT by siunevada
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Several U.S. cardinals had a busy morning in Washington April 28 urging humane and compassionate immigration legislation as the Senate prepared to debate immigration reform.
The U.S. bishops want a "comprehensive reform" that deals compassionately with the millions of undocumented aliens in the United States, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington said in brief remarks at a photo opportunity between meetings on Capitol Hill.
The U.S. bishops have expressed support for many aspects of a compromise bill expected to reach the Senate floor in early May, but they are also concerned about harsh enforcement provisions in the legislation, including expedited removal of illegal aliens along the border and denial of protections to asylum seekers.
Cardinal McCarrick and Cardinals Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles and William H. Keeler of Baltimore started the day with a breakfast meeting on immigration reform with White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove and other White House aides.
Also attending that session was Vincentian Father David M. O'Connell, president of The Catholic University of America.
From the White House Cardinals Mahony and McCarrick went to Capitol Hill to meet with several senators on immigration reform legislation. Following a meeting with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston joined them and the three prelates met with Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill.
A meeting with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., capped off the cardinals' Hill visit.
At a brief press conference following the meeting with Reid, Cardinal Mahony was asked his views on the proposed immigrant boycott of work and school on May 1, when demonstrations for humane immigration legislation were planned across the country. Activists working on behalf of immigrants were divided over the use of a work-school boycott as a demonstration tactic.
The cardinal said he hoped Los Angeles children would attend school that day to learn about immigration issues and write their legislators, and after school join a march planned in Los Angeles, which was to start at 4 p.m. in MacArthur Park.
During another brief media event before the cardinals' final meeting on the Hill, Frist said he hoped the Senate would be able to craft an immigration bill that would enjoy strong bipartisan support.
One of the key elements in immigration reform that the cardinals and the U.S. bishops have been working for is a program that would provide a path to citizenship for large numbers of undocumented workers already living in the United States.
The compromise bill the Senate will consider allows undocumented workers who have resided in the United States for more than five years to obtain a conditional immigrant visa and eventually permanent residency after fulfilling certain conditions; it sets more stringent rules and conditions for those who have been in the United States less than five years.
The cardinals were in Washington for the April 28 American Cardinals Dinner, an annual fund-raising event for The Catholic University of America.
Think of the Christian Mexican American children when drafting this legislation...please.
They already do.
How come Mexico can deport, and we cannot???
Don't forget shopping on Monday
Boycott their boycott.
The U.S. cardinals should next fly to Mexico City and demand that the Mexican government start treating illegals crossing into Mexico from Guatemala more humanely.
If the illegals were all whites from Europe, or were seen as people likely to vote Republican once they became citizens, we'd be hearing demands that they be sent home because they were taking jobs from members of minority groups or were driving down wages and making it harder for labor unions to organize workers.
In the long run a system which rewards those who break the law really won't help the Mexican / Mexican-American children. (Although certainly you are right that we should work towards effective solutions to help them.) Amnesty simply tells Mexicans who follow the law that they are stupid, and that the way to get ahead is to cheat. It will be a magnate to keep drawing more and more illegal immigrants and further break down civil society in both countries.
"Would the Cardinals consider asking their hundereds of hopstitals to provide free care for these poor illegal souls?
They already do."
That's why they had to charge me twice as much for my operation.
Deport all illegals now!
You can go too Sinkspur!
Gee did they happen to mention the innocent unborn. I doubt it.
I have always been a Republican because I am a Christian. If the Republican party loses site of their Christian roots and the promotion of Christianity..in my opinion they have lost everything.
Yes they are here illegally and they need to pay a fine but some of the rhetoric I have seen has been like animals going in for the kill and not conducive to finding a reasonable solution.
IMHO..save it for our real enemies.
Well, this bushbot agrees that Wuli's post made mammoth sense and that GWB is wrong on this issue.
LOL!! Nah. I've been here longer than you.
Besides your antisocial. Nobody will miss you.
the cardinals are insuring job security for themselves.
There is a GIANT lie, in the GOP, in the Demorats and in the media. The "movement" is not for immigrants, and not particularly not for legal immigrants and most particularly not for non-Hispanic immigrants. It is a movement pushing for the right of any Latino to set foot on U.S. soil and claim, by their presence, and by nothing else, the right to be here. It is a movement to use a planted mob of immigrants to change the political framework of north America, to disregard national sovereignty and our Constitution."
I've been called a "Bushbot" before for supporting the Dubai decision, yet I am 100% in agreement with you and very disappointed that Bush and most ALL of our D.C. leadership are IGNORING the majority of americans who do NOT support amnesty for illegals.
I believe May Day is going to change all that. The protesters have been calling for Revolucion! and I do believe that come Monday, they are going to get one. Americans WILL NOT stand for this any longer and D.C. is in for a rude awakening. Shame on them for allowing these invaders to take over our cities. They've ignored our borders, allowing this monster to fester and grow and now they are allowing all of us to be vulnerable, both economically and personally, to what may become a violent, nationwide security nightmare that law enforcement alone can NOT handle. I've got a very bad gut feeling about all this.
"Well, this bushbot agrees that Wuli's post made mammoth sense and that GWB is wrong on this issue."
____________________________
Bushbot-lite I guess....:)
THESE CARDINALS DON'T WANT THE USA TO ENFORCE THE IMMIGRATION LAWS. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE USCCB LETTER TO THE SENATORS URGING THEM NOT TO STRICTLY ENFORCE THE LAW:
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