The board of directors of the Knights of Columbus has called upon Congress and the President to create immigration legislation that gains control over the process of immigration, but also rejects any effort to criminalize those who provide humanitarian assistance to undocumented immigrants.

The board adopted the resolution at its quarterly meeting in Charleston, S.C., April 7-9. It further calls for providing these immigrants an avenue by which they can emerge from the shadows of society and seek legal residency and citizenship in the United States.

The statement noted that the vast majority of undocumented people in the U.S. are simply trying to build better lives for themselves and their families, but must struggle to do so from the margins of American society.
 
The board declared that legitimate concerns regarding sovereignty and the lawful and orderly control of cross-border travel must not be the only concerns addressed by a new immigration law.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic lay organization, with more than 1.7 million members in North America, Asia and Europe.