Comments on: Churches Providing Sanctuary To Immigrants

Effort Modeled On 1980s Movement That Harbored Central American Refugees Fleeing Home Countries

[tvgenius]

Several Catholic and other churches in SW Arizona have been harboring illegals for years, despite repeated warnings from the Border Patrol and ICE.

[randalds]

Change the immigration law so they are the same across the board since it's breathtakingly easy for some to immigrate here, but it's almost impossible for a Mexican to to the same. The laws are not fair to those from South of the border, but are fantastic (by comparison) for Europeans. That way we'll do away with this BS of a lie that "Oh the only problem I have is that they're (Horrors!) here illegally!!". Then provide a real path to citizenship for those here that makes them learn conversational English, pass a criminal background check (that does NOT include that they have violated the ridiculous draconian immigration laws to get here) and have them swear an oath of allegiance to America. Finally a real comprehensive Guest Worker program so migrants who just want to come here to work and then go home can do so easily and without being exploited.

[randalds]

The solution is so easy. A comprehensive Guest Worker program, reforming immigration laws so they are all the same no matter what country you're immigrating from and a real path to citizenship for those already here. We need Migrants to do the work Americans won't do and anyone who says Americans will do those jobs is full of it and won't do them themselves. The idea that the only problem is that "they're illegal!" is disingenuous as it's almost impossible for a person to legally immigrate here from South of the border, while a Cuban only has to reach dry land to be legal, so the laws need to be changed. Lastly a real path to citizenship for those here means they learn conversational level English, pass a criminal background check (that doesn't count coming here against the current draconian immigration laws) and then swear an oath.

[phoenix1218]

The kids don't need to be in foster care - they can all go home together. Most countries, ones without a stupid birth law that is an obsolete remnant of slavery, you are a citizen of the country your parents are a citizen of - no matter where you were born. They can go home, as a family. Posted by SusanHelit

I think that is the way it should be...
the kids born of illegal aliens should be considered citizens of the country where their parents are from, NOT as citizens of the United States. I also think that if parents are deported that the kids should be too. Why have the kids in our system when they can be with their parents in another country?

[randalds]

Someone needs to inform the church that this is NOT the middle ages. Any church that aids people in the commission of a crime (being in this country illegally) should be prosecuted like any other criminal. And their tax exempt status needs to be revoked.

Posted by Infidel_US at 04:21 PM : May 10, 2007

The Supreme Court has already ruled that sanctuary is protected under the Bill of Rights and there's not a snowballs chance in hell they'll ever overturn it. Besides it's one of the ones they got right.

[infidel_us]

Someone needs to inform the church that this is NOT the middle ages. Any church that aids people in the commission of a crime (being in this country illegally) should be prosecuted like any other criminal. And their tax exempt status needs to be revoked.

This goes for "sanctuary cities", as well. No federal funds until you enforce the law.

[phoenix1218]

The kids don't need to be in foster care - they can all go home together. Most countries, ones without a stupid birth law that is an obsolete remnant of slavery, you are a citizen of the country your parents are a citizen of - no matter where you were born. They can go home, as a family. Posted by SusanHelit

I think that is the way it should be...
the kids born of illegal aliens should be considered citizens of the country where their parents are from, NOT as citizens of the United States. I also think that if parents are deported that the kids should be too. Why have the kids in our system when they can be with their parents in another country?

[randalds]

So much for separation of church and state.

Just like the demonstrations a couple weeks ago, this is the perfect time for the law to take action and round these people up. The illegals are using their kids as pawns plain and simple.
Posted by olebd at 03:27 PM : May 10, 2007

This is not strictly a church and state separation issue, at least not in the way you refer to it. It's an age old tradition in the church to protect anyone who needs protection. Anyone who feels they're being persecuted by the government (any government, anywhere) has the right to seek sanctuary in church and the Supreme Court has ruled that it's legal for them to do so BECAUSE of religious protections in the Bill of Rights, not in spite of the separation.

[susanhelit]

The kids don't need to be in foster care - they can all go home together. Most countries, ones without a stupid birth law that is an obsolete remnant of slavery, you are a citizen of the country your parents are a citizen of - no matter where you were born. They can go home, as a family.

[olebd]

So much for separation of church and state.

Just like the demonstrations a couple weeks ago, this is the perfect time for the law to take action and round these people up. The illegals are using their kids as pawns plain and simple.