In his written testimony, Bishop Kicanas urged the minimization of “harsh rhetoric” in the immigration debate and condemned terms that characterize immigrants as “less than human.” “Such harsh rhetoric has been encouraged by talk radio and cable TV, for sure, but also has been used by public officials, including members of Congress,” he commented.
Real reform, according to the bishop, would legalize undocumented migrants and their families in the U.S., provide legal means for migrants to enter the U.S. to work, and reform family reunification. Further, the “root causes” of migration should be addressed so that migrants may remain in their homelands.
Describing the Catholic Church as “an immigrant Church, his written testimony noted Catholic immigration programs’ involvement in the implementation of the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) in the 1980s. There are currently 158 Catholic immigration programs throughout the country, he reported, saying such efforts are rooted in the belief that every person is created in God’s image.
This Catholic response is also rooted in Scripture, he explained, citing Jesus’ words in Matthew 25: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
The bishop’s testimony also urged a permanent extension of the immigrant non-minister portion of the Religious Worker Visa Program, which now permits 5,000 non-minister religious and lay persons each year to enter the U.S. to work on a permanent basis both for their denominations and for the benefit of the community.
He reported that the bishops oppose a point system for migrants which places a higher value on highly educated and skilled immigrants than on family ties. Families start family businesses, provide for each other, and contribute their talents to local neighborhoods.
“Family reunification has been the cornerstone of the U.S. immigration system since the inception of our republic. It would be foolhardy to abandon this system, as the family unit represents the core of our society and culture.”
The testimony also reiterated the bishops’ opposition to legislation that would grant homosexual partners the same immigration benefits as married couples, saying it would erode the institution of marriage and family and create additional controversy.
Bishop Kicanas’ statement endorsed legislation such as the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2009 and the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM).