“...Our immigration system is badly broken and requires reform. In order to fix the system, we must bring undocumented persons out of the shadows and put them on a path to citizenship. This would help stabilize immigrant families and our workforce in many important industries. We also must create legal avenues for migrant workers to migrate legally and safely into our country to perform important jobs in crucial industries in our economy. Finally, we must ensure that families are reunited in a timely manner.”

 ~ Bishop John Wester, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, to Representative Gutierrez, January 2010

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Catholic Social Teaching has long taught us that:

* All people have the right to live in dignity and to achieve a full life.

* Every person possesses inherent dignity.

* All goods of the earth belong to all people. An individual has the right to find work elsewhere if there is none in his/her country.

* Sovereign nations have the right to control their borders. However, nations must recognize they have a stronger obligation to accommodate migration flows.

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The United States Bishops have stated clearly and strongly that comprehensive immigration reform must include:

* a plan for immigrants already in the U.S. to regularlize their status upon satisfaction of reasonable criteria and pursue an option to become permanent residents, and perhaps, U.S. citizens.

* reforms in our family-based system to significantly reduce the waiting time for separated families to be reunited.

* the creation of legal avenues for workers and their families who wish to migrate to the U.S. to enter our country and work in a safe, legal, and orderly manner with their rights fully protected.

* border protection policies that are consistent with humanitarian values and with the need to treat all individuals with respect -- while still allowing the authorities to carry out the critical task of identifying and preventing entry of terrorists and criminals.

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Just click to view other resources on immigration:  * Prayer for immigrants * Myths and facts about immigration * Facebook for Wisconsin Catholic Sisters * United States Conference of Catholic Bishops * S. Joyce Quintana's "questions to ponder"