U.S. Catholic Church's 2008 National Migration Conference: Roger Mahony, others support illegal immigration

The U.S. Catholic Church is currently conducting their 2008 National Migration Conference in Washington DC, and today they visited various offices on Capitol Hill to push their agenda. The conference program is in this PDF file. Workshops included "How to respond to federal raids." Cardinal Roger Mahony was there and as could be expected spoke out in favor of illegal immigration, engaging in logical fallacies and promoting horrible public policy:

"[enforcement of our laws has led to] the separation of families, the harassment and profiling of U.S. citizens and legal residents, the expanded use of detention against those who are not a flight risk or a danger and, tragically, deaths in the United States desert." ...The recent national policy described as "deportation by attrition" has a goal of creating "such a dangerous and unwelcoming atmosphere that immigrants and their families leave the United States because they have no other choice," said Cardinal Mahony... It has led to fear among immigrant communities and a hostile atmosphere, "fanning the flames of intolerance, xenophobia and, at times, bigotry," he continued... "Such a national policy is doomed to fail because it underestimates the human spirit, the spirit of hope that we celebrate in this gathering," the cardinal said... The very act of migration is a hopeful one, he said, because it is based in the belief that a better life is possible for the migrant and his family... "While we are bound to respect our laws and not violate them, we also are bound to correct unjust laws," Cardinal Mahony said. "The terms 'rule of law' and 'national security' should no longer be used to justify the harsh and inhumane treatment of immigrants, refugees or asylum seekers. While we acknowledge the right and the need for our government to enforce the law, we must remind our fellow Americans that man-made law does not permit the violation of God's law."

So wrong. So very, very wrong. Why he's wrong has been covered here and here. Regarding the "better life" part, Mahoney is supporting draining other countries of their human capital instead of working to make sure they can be successful in their own countries. And, I'm pretty sure that enforcing our immigration laws in a humane fashion doesn't violate "God's law". Mahoney is corrupt and an embarrassment to the church.

Others there included "New York Cardinal Edward M. Egan; Guatemalan Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri of San Marcos; Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the bishops' migration committee; Bishops Jaime Soto of Sacramento, Calif., Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla., Frank J. DeWane of Venice, Fla., and Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio J. del Riego of San Bernardino, Calif" and Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, retired DC Cardinal.

Immigration2008a · Wed, 07/30/2008 - 10:56 · · Importance: 1