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Local faith leaders speak out on illegal immigration
Published 7/17/2010 in Local News
By SHAJIA AHMAD
Many of the families Sister Janice Thome works with through her ministry are illegal immigrants -- hard-working people who are poorly paid, struggle to find adequate housing, and face both physical and emotional challenges, she said.
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Laurie Sisk/Telegram
"Only those people that are desperate to feed their families cross the border," Thome said. "Here they face the same struggles (most families face), but theirs are made that much worse. And if they do work, they're always afraid someone's going to find out."
Drawing from the teachings of Roman Catholicism, the nun who has worked for decades in the area through the Dominican Sisters Ministry of Presence said she believes all persons have a right to live where they choose to build a life for themselves and their families if they cannot have a decent life in their homeland.
At the same time, a country has an authority over its laws and a responsibility to share its wealth, Thome added.
"It's a balancing act. But if we're saying it's OK for us to have a three-car garage while another family starves, that is selfish," Thome said.
Arizona's new immigration law has generated sharp debate ¬-- debate often rooted in moral grounds.
Some local leaders in the faith community, like Thome, agreed to speak on the often-polarizing debate in Finney County's ethnically diverse community. While the U.S. Census Bureau doesn't track immigration status, 23 percent of Finney County residents are foreign-born as opposed to 5 percent statewide, according to the latest census figures.
The Arizona law that authorizes local law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of anyone they reasonably suspect of being in the U.S. illegally has created a tug-of-war between advocates who say it's needed to combat illegal immigration because the federal government isn't doing enough and opponents who feel the move is an infringement on civil liberties and promotes racial profiling of members of Hispanic or Latino communities. The law, set to take effect July 29, also is facing legal challenges by many private and public groups, including the federal government.
When President Barack Obama gave his first speech on immigration earlier this month, he endorsed ideas formerly proposed by his administration -- better securing of the border, providing a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are already in the country and creating a guest worker program -- and also acknowledged the moral nature of the debate across the country's communities.
"I've spoken with representatives from a growing coalition of labor unions and business groups, immigrant advocates and community organizations, law enforcement, local government -- all who recognize the importance of immigration reform ... some liberal, some conservative, (but) who nonetheless share a sense of urgency; who understand that fixing our broken immigration system is not only a political issue, not just an economic issue, but a moral imperative as well," Obama said in his July 2 speech at the American University School of International Service in Washington, D.C.
According to Thome, the responsibility to care for foreigners stems back from the time of the Old Testament, in which God instructs the Israelites to welcome foreigners in their midst, whether they were "strangers," "aliens," or "poor."
"Every single undocumented person I know wants to be legal and have access to documentation. They want to learn English. They know they need to if they want to be a part of the fabric of this country," she said.
Father Philip Vreeland, a priest at the Three Hierarchs Orthodox Church in Garden City, said while the Orthodox Church had no official stance on U.S. immigration policies, the church does teach others to obey and pray for all civil authorities.
At the same time, the church has a responsibility to seek justice where unjust laws are enforced, the father added.
"If a stranger comes to us seeking help, we're taught to take care of that person," Vreeland said. "I do not know if there are or are not (unjust restrictions) but if so, they need to be addressed or changed if they are discriminatory in nature. After all, we all got here one way or another."
Blake Harris, a youth pastor at Word of Life Church in Garden City, said he would not be opposed to seeing a similar law take shape in Kansas that would criminalize immigration. Harris said he felt it was wrong to grant illegal immigrants already residing in the county a pathway to citizenship.
"I would never turn an illegal alien away if they came to me for help -- I would help them in the best way I could," he said. "But if they're a (violent) criminal, ship 'em out -- they're no help to us."
Harris pointed to the writings of the Apostle Paul in the Book of Romans. The Roman Emperor Nero persecuted followers of Jesus, laws governing all Christians at the time. Paul taught Christians to obey all laws, Harris said, even those they were opposed to.
"It comes back to the moral issue. People need to obey the laws of the land, and if they're illegal, they should be deported back (to where they came from)," Harris said. "It's the same as if we had a murderer in our congregation -- that person is still committing a crime."
About a quarter of the nondenominational church's congregation include members of the Hispanic or Latino community, Harris said.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, there were an estimated 11.9 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. in 2008, 76 percent of whom were Hispanic, the largest ethnic group in the subcommunity. The Pew estimated the number has grown over the last few decades. Only around 3 million illegal immigrants resided in the U.S. in 1980.
The Pew also estimated nearly half a million illegal immigrants resided in Arizona in 2008, nearly all of them from Mexico. About 10 percent of Arizona's workforce is estimated to be working without authorization.
Found 17 comment(s)!
Theology to break the law ???
Pro illegal immigration supporters often use Old Testament theology to defend their positions, such are really jews and should go join the local synagogue. For people who claim to be followers of Jesus, you are under and subject to New Testament theology. Here is what Jesus said:
Render unto Ceasar that which is Ceasar's; this includes abiding by Ceasar's rules, regulations, and law regarding into Ceasar's country.
Jesus also said in John 10:1 that those who enter the sheepfold by entrance other than the gate are robbers and theives.
While Christianity is the religion of all religions for compassion, grace, and mercy, Jesus (its founder) never advocated the same should be used as a foundation or excuse to break Ceasar's laws.
Even with the Arizona law, the USA immigration laws are so mild relative to Old Mexico's immigration law which is more strict by orders of magnitude, that Old Mexico, Hispanics, Mexicans, and Latinos have no grounds to criticize the USA law or Arizona's law, from the moral or ethical perspective.
You can find Old Mexico's immigration law at this web site:
http://www.theinvisiblewar.info
Posted by: deepthinker on 7/21/2010
10.9?????
10.9 million illegals in this country??? Im sure they are getting benefits without paying taxes...... why would we let them do that? Make them LEAVE if there not legal.......
Posted by: do it legally on 7/19/2010
illegals
I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. Manual labor has been the story for most of my life. Have you ever watched tv shows about immigration and our borders? Yes most of them focus on mexico because they come running across the border like herds of animals. I have met alot of hard working older generation mexican people and have quite a few i call friends. However they also detest the way the system works now because they had to actually work for what they got just to get by here in the US. Now our goverment lets them slide by and hands illegal immigrants AMERICAS benefits that come from our legal paychecks that we pay taxes on and spend in our country. Most illegals draw our benefits ,, boo our flag,, use a fake name to hold a form of job so they can still get assitance ,, all while sending money to mexico to get more illegals muled into the USA ,, all while MOST of them haul drugs across our border with them as payment in part for the smugglers to help them get across unseen. I see no reason to let this continue. And as for the humanitarian lady down there,, well maybe we should toss her across with them after we get down there and build our home country a nice big shiny concrete and steel fence! Because if you dont love our country and our flag and our laws and what it takes to make our country a good place to live again ,,, THEN GET OUT! Its is time to give humanitarian aid to our veterans and homeless and take care of the rest of the people in our country who could use a hand.
Posted by: JC on 7/19/2010
Illegal Immigrants
If they want to come here to make a better place for them and their family that is fine! BUT they need to do it legally. It is the law and we need to enforce the law. If we were in their country ellegally we would be shot and never heard from again. We have to follow the laws and they need to too. Do it right and abide by our laws don't try to change us to make this like their country adn things will be fine.
Posted by: frustrated on 7/19/2010
Mexicans are the only illegals?
i guess since mexicans are the only illegals. and all you would be willing to do the work that all the illegals are doing? you dont want to get your hands dirty, there is no way you will get up out your chair and do some real labor. so even if you deport all these "mexicans" you need people to do the jobs that americans CANT and WONT do.
Illegals are the only ones getting government help right. the only people getting walfare?
Posted by: Ty on 7/19/2010
illegal immigration
Im with the MAJORITY on this - enough is enough. Laws should & need to be enforced. Also, I am sick of theses liberal, bleeding heart stories.
Posted by: picmom on 7/19/2010
Immigration
Illegal immigration is something we as a country cannot afford either financially or from a homeland security issue. Amercians need jobs illegal immigration needs to become a criminal issue for employers hiring these folks and the tide severly slowed or stopped. I say Kansas should step up and do the same thing Arizona is doing!
Posted by: David on 7/18/2010
Immigration
Thanks to these wonderful followers of the Gospel who practice the teachings of Christ! We should spend our tax dollars on more humanitarian causes!
Posted by: Ann Troy on 7/18/2010
It has to stop
Sister Thome is advocating socialism. People are getting tired of paying taxes to support those that cheat the system, then maintain total loyalty to their country of origin. It has to stop. We can't afford it anymore. It will bankrupt our social security system, and I admit that I am selfish. I wan't mine. I realize the huge problems of deporting all illegals, but it has to start somewhere. Fix the problems in your country, don't create the same issues in ours. Illegal is illegal.
Posted by: Rick on 7/18/2010
Clergy
Sister Thome has a good heart, but, until I see the Church paying the taxes and doling out the money to take care of these people, it is just rhetoric to me. Slam the border shut to only legal immigration.
Posted by: Share the Wealth on 7/18/2010
Illegal Immigrants
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
......Abraham Lincoln
Words of wisdom.
Posted by: dr on 7/18/2010
Full of poo
""Only those people that are desperate to feed their families cross the border," Thome said."
What a crock - she needs to read the news more often and get out of the closet. The drug cartels have essentially taken over the southern 1/4 of Arizona - THAT (NOT racial profiling) is why Arizona felt compelled to pass its immigration law. And the liberal left is pandering to the fears of an uneducated population by making the law about race - I read the entire legislation. NOT ONE MENTION OF RACE! ... our government is full of bunch of incompetent people. The feds are stupid for filing a lawsuit against the Arizona law. The law itself is perfectly fine - if they want to contend that the IMPLEMENTATION of the law is an issue, that's fine, but you can't file a lawsuit against that until law enforcement has had a chance to implement it.
Posted by: U.S. Citizen on 7/17/2010
illegal aliens
What don't you understand about illegal?The best help you could give them is send them home with instructions to apply the legal way to enter the United States.My father did it the correst way and was naturalized in 1939.We were brought up to speak English not French and to be Americans not French Americans.My Father fought for our country in WWII and helped preserve what used to be a great nation.It could be again,but the laws must be followed by our government as well as ourselves.This is not happening and we do not need amnesty again,it just promoted the problem by giving more illegal aliens hope that if they showed up they would get amnesty.What an insult to the people who came here legally.Shame on all of you.Close the borders,enforce the laws already in place that our government should be enforcing,stop looking the other way and passing the buck.Yep,i will go help build the border fence too.
Posted by: P S Goree on 7/17/2010
illegals
yeah and in addition to sucking the u.s. dry with social services,they also send a lot of their money to mexico so they can get more of them up here. how does this make sense?
Posted by: concerned on 7/17/2010
Do what is right and Honorable.
There is equal oportunity for people of all race' to come here legaly and build a life for themselves. It is our obligation as Christians to help "Widows and Orphans". Not People who come in through the back door in the night that are illegal. They are here to take from our system and not give back.
The welfare / victim mentality in our country will continue to bankrupt us. Until people are required to work for what they receive and become responsible for their own survival we will continue to have these battle lines drawn.
The Arizona Law is a reitteration of the Federal law that has not been enforced. Stand up for your country or soon it wont be your country anymore.
Posted by: cc on 7/17/2010
Eleven Million Illegals.....
....in America. The worse economy since the 1930's, now is the time to deport all illegals. Thousands of gangs in California alone made up of illegals. A process is in place for immigrants to attain legal status in the United States, breaking our laws is not the proper way, it is a shame that Mexico will not take care of her people, but neither can we.
Posted by: Barney on 7/17/2010
religion
Its no wonder churches are seeing a decline in followers. You want to extend a helping hand to everyone they deserve it or not. We are americans and we are sick and tired of supporting immigrants,,, they get on some for of assistance from our government as soon as they can and find a low paying job that they use a fake name to get because they are illegal and then to top it off they dont spend the money they make illegaly here in our country,,, they send it to mexico! I for one have had enough,, and i would gladly donate my time for free to the american people to go down south and help build a big tall fence that will begin to protect our country that americans built and keep foreigners out ,,, unless they go through the proper channels from their own country ,, and then they are welcome. In a nutshell ,, churches of all kind better start supporting the country you live in or you followers will become less and less because america is starting to put its foot down on how we feel about illegal immigrants,,, churches that support them could be next!
Posted by: JC on 7/17/2010
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