emonstrations of foreign workers continue in the United States as the date approaches for the Congress to discuss a controversial immigration law reform. Some 30-thousand marched in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to oppose the tough anti-immigration legislation sponsored by their Republican congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, which among other things,
criminalizes anyone who helps an undocumented immigrant.
Also in Los Angeles, where there is a large presence of people of Hispanic origin, hundreds of students walked out of their high schools to march for immigrant rights. The Churches, Catholic and Protestant, and social assistance
organizations have firmly criticized the bill, underlining that it would push illegal immigrants into criminality.
The Archbishop of Los Angeles, Cardinal Roger Mahony, called on all his parish representatives to oppose any bill that impedes giving assistance to illegal immigrants. A demonstration is
organized for today in Los Angeles, which organizers say may bring half a million people to the streets (already 100,000 marched in Chicago two weeks ago).
“We are living a key moment for thousands of undocumented Mexicans in the United States, given that the recognition of their rights and dignity depends largely on the measures that the Senate will adopt in these days”. This is the first passage of an open letter written by the chairman, José Guadalupe Martín Rábaga, and secretary, Carlos Aguiar Retes, of the Mexican Bishops Conference (CEM) in view of the approval by the US Senate of new measures to crackdown on illegal immigration.
“To halt immigration with different types of ‘barriers’ is impossible: it is necessary to dialogue and seek fundamental solutions, acknowledging the specific contribution that immigration can offer to world peace”, continues the letter, referring to the construction of a wall of separation along the border between Mexico and the United States, suggested by Washington in a move to impede the illegal entry of thousands of Central Americans that, through Mexico, seek better futures more to the north.
“To halt immigration with different types of ‘barriers’ is impossible: it is necessary to dialogue and seek fundamental solutions, acknowledging the specific contribution that immigration can offer to world
peace”
Mexican Bishops Statement
Underlining that the document was written in full accord with the US Bishops, in the letter signed by more than 100 Mexican prelates Monsignor Martín Rábaga and Monsignor Aguiar Retes reminded: “the US has substantially admitted the necessity of Mexican manpower for economic growth. They must therefore make an effort to introduce legal means for the Mexicans to find employment in the country that consents them to live a dignified existence with dignified salaries, proportional to just work activities”. For this reason, the Mexican prelates call for “an inclusive, just and reasonable reform” of the US law, reminding the legislators to
recognize that the norms they are set to approve “regard human beings”.
The Bishops then addressed the candidates of the July 2 Mexican presidential election, for “the presentation of concrete plans, on short and long term, to resolve the problem, not limiting their intervention to mere discussions”.
The protests are growing nation-wide against the ‘Sensenbrenner reform’ that, after a first approval last year, is due to be debated next week in Congress. Thousands of demonstrators are expected outside Capitol Hill in Washington to uphold the rights of foreign workers in a country that owes its foundation to immigration.
(From MISNA)