Washington D.C., Apr 30, 2010 / 19:03 pm
The U.S. Senate’s introduction of a proposed framework on immigration reform is “an important first step” towards a comprehensive measure, the U.S. bishops have said. They urged bipartisan legislation which “affirms the rule of law and basic human rights,” but also said they “strongly oppose” the idea of extending “marriage-like” immigration benefits to same-sex relationships.
The framework, developed by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York), has been endorsed by the Senate leadership, a press release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reports.
Bishop of Salt Lake City John C. Wester, chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, spoke on behalf of the bishops with a Thursday statement endorsing the effort.
He explained that the bishops support the “general direction” of the framework, including a legalization of the undocumented and improvements to the United States’ employment and family-based immigration systems.