Compassion and
justice must be the basis of our search for comprehensive reform. To
do this we need to listen with compassion to some of the families
involved, and become allies of people on the move. We need to honor
the sacredness of human life and work to protect the most vulnerable
in our midst.
It is also an
occasion to examine our White power and privilege and see how that
hinders progress toward our goal. We need to name and face our own
vulnerabilities as we struggle with this issue.
We can also work
with employers who in the past have used this population to meet
their needs. Do we rely on cheap labor to keep our economy going?
Do we also use them to clean our homes and offices and do other
similar work.
The faith
communities are needed to bring some hope and some sanity to this
effort. Cynicism will not solve the problem. We need to hold out
hope that some significant change can be made. We can also be
available to provide information to families in our area. May of
them live in fear and don’t know where to turn. Let us continue our
efforts with courage, conviction and hope.
The US bishops
have sent helpful information on “Justice for Immigrants: a journey
of hope” They recommend the following:
1.
Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland.
2. Persons have the
right to migrate to support themselves and their families.
3.
Sovereign nations have a right to control their borders.
4.
Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection.
5.
The human rights and the human dignity of the undocumented migrants
should be respected.
