The US is at a crossroads on immigration. What should the Catholic Church do next? – National Catholic Reporter

Some Americans ‘ voters have become more concerned about immigration as of this election year as a result of the increase in visitors at the U.S. Mexico border. Immigration critics, including some Republicans, have used the word “invasion” to describe the situation at the border and propose punitive legislation to address it, sparking the ferocity of anxiety. &nbsp,

Republican attacks have targeted President Joe Biden’s response by proposing his own limiting policies, including closing the boundary and limiting asylum seekers. &nbsp,

To make matters worse, Catholic organizations that work with immigrants are being attacked by Republicans in Congress who threaten to defund initiatives that, among others, give outsiders basic needs. Additionally, the Texas lawyer standard is attempting to overthrow Annunciation House, a Catholic sanctuary in El Paso that has been serving immigrants for almost 50 years. What those who target Catholic companies fail to realize is that their job is coordinated with and is not directed at it.

To put it mildly, the political scenery on the issue of immigration has changed, and from the view of religion teaching, not for the better. Christians in the seats, while frequently supportive of refugees, have legitimate concerns about the recent rise in visitors and how the authorities is reacting to it.

Given these conditions, how really Catholic proponents, including the U. S. priests, react to the shifting social landscape?

The church may play a key role as one of the largest pro-immigrant institutions in the country in order to restore the debate beyond who may recommend the most stringent enforcement- single policies — policies that, by the way, have failed for 40 years. Here is a tentative outline for Catholic leaders and supporters to pursue:

Protect the church’s quest without fear. &nbsp,

Because its mission does conflict with political aspirations, the religion is no stranger to civil authorities ‘ attacks. The Catholic Church has vigorously oppose any efforts to stifle its ability to assist the underprivileged and the dispossessed.

A new interracial march and worship company in El Paso, Texas, led by Bishop Mark Seitz, president of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops ‘ Committee on Migration, is a good example of quiet resistance. The priests ‘ Religious Liberty Committee, led by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of South Bend, Indiana, recently released a declaration that effectively framed the church’s goal as a matter of religious freedom.

Listen to dehumanizing dialect about immigrants. &nbsp,

Previous President Donald Trump, the presumably Democratic nominee for president this year, recently claimed that newcomers were “poisoning the heart of our state” and that they were “animals.” For offensive language calls for a powerful answer from Catholic leaders, but none have been forthcoming. &nbsp,

Not to be political, there was no reply to Biden’s use of the term “illegal” during the State of the Union address, both. &nbsp,

When there is no answer from faith leaders or people, this kind of speech becomes customary. It should be a teaching time for Catholics, hardly a missed opportunity.

Explain the religion’s place on territories more efficiently. &nbsp,

It should be made clear that Catholicism recognizes a country’s right to establish its territories and to determine who is permitted to enter the land. This part of the training, but, is not well understood by the typical Catholic. &nbsp,

The church believes border administration should be a necessary element of any immigration system but not to violate a person’s individual rights and dignity, as frequently demonstrated by the government’s effective enforcement strategies. By better explaining this training, and offering humanitarian alternatives to more demanding forms of police, the religion may be able to persuade the great amount of Catholics in the pews who are ambivalent, if not hostile, on the issue. &nbsp,

Highlight the contributions of immigrants more frequently. &nbsp,

Most Americans do n’t think that immigrants as a whole have a positive impact on their lives. They do n’t see the problem as much as a reduction in their tax burden or a rise in medical coverage.

Immigration actually makes a significant contribution to our economy and culture. According to Trump’s predictions, the undocumented population of the nation would drop by nearly$ 5 trillion over a decade if they were deported tomorrow. The labor shortage that the country experiences in many industries would be worsened while production would decline and inflation would rise. &nbsp,

Stick to the church’s policy positions, but become more flexible as to how they are achieved. &nbsp,

It is obvious that the idea of comprehensive immigration reform, in which one bill fixes every aspect of the immigration system, is currently politically unpopular. This does not mean, however, that its components, including a broad- based legalization — are forever dead. There are more than one ways to skin a cat, according to the proverb. Immigration advocates should look for opportunities in every legislative tool to advance a portion of reform by adopting a more incremental approach to reforming the system. Additionally, they ought to continue to lobby the executive branch for a pro-immigrant regulatory agenda. &nbsp,

For instance, Biden has sparingly used humanitarian parole to expand the scope of legal immigration options, while his extensive use of temporary protected status ( TPS) has allowed people from unstable nations to work and live in the United States. As part of any immigration border package, the legalization of specific groups that have traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support, such as immigrant youth ( Dreamers ) and agricultural workers, should be pushed in the legislative realm.

U. S. history has shown that the nation goes through periods of nativism — from the era of the” Know Nothings“, to the Chinese Exclusion laws, to today’s version led by Trump. Through it all, however, the U. S. has, by and large, maintained its identity as a nation of immigrants. &nbsp,

It is no different today. Although there may be a dark period in the country’s immigration history, the church’s stance on welcoming the stranger, as Christ has commanded, will remain unchanged and will help to lift the country out of the darkness. It is during the most difficult times when God’s grace is present, Seitz reminded the audience during the El Paso vigil.