THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN

March 26, 2006

The Good News

...Immigration Issues

In recent months, some state governments (including Oklahoma) have been debating legislations that would affect immigration laws. However, immigration laws are the proper domain of the federal government. Moreover, when states begin to assume that responsibility, they often attach stringent requirements. These measures often put unfair pressure on public and humanitarian workers. They also negatively affect immigrants who are here legally by sowing seeds of fear and dissension. Sometimes these measures are truly unjust to children who are U.S. citizens but whose parents are still undocumented.

The American Bishops have long recognized the need for a comprehensive reform of our immigration laws and have been urging the federal government to do that. This action of the bishops is taken for humanitarian and not political purposes. It is based on the dignity of every human being and the right of individuals to migrate. At the same time, the bishops certainly recognize the right of sovereign nations to protect their borders.

We believe that a reform of the federal immigration laws would be beneficial to our country and to those whose lives are presently unjustly affected. For that reason I object to the pending legislation before our Oklahoma Senate and I urge a review and change of the federal laws in accordance with truth, justice and respect.

Therefore, I invite you to hear and consider the question: “Who is my neighbor”?

This question was sarcastically asked of Jesus when He had spoken about the great commandment. (Luke 10:25 and following) The man questioning apparently felt guilty when Jesus had challenged him “to love your neighbor as yourself.” As the Gospel says: “The man was anxious to justify himself.” Jesus responded with the parable of the good Samaritan. The message is clear. Whoever is in need should be treated kindly for we are all one in Christ Jesus.

Coming from Samaria, the Samaritan was a foreigner, a traveler. He was a stranger to the man who had been beaten. Yet when he saw the man who had been robbed and beaten, he had compassion. He cared for him and arranged for further care. The Samaritan lived according to the great commandment. He loved God and he loved his neighbor.

Like the good Samaritan, all of us believe in the great commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. But unlike the Samaritan, often more like the man who asked the question sarcastically, we fail to act, to help or even acknowledge our neighbor. This is especially true in the cases of the many new immigrants now arriving and living in our country.

In the past, our country proudly welcomed immigrants and we grew and prospered. Then a false fear arose because the immigrant was considered “different.” Though never factually substantiated, accusations and charges were made. “They are taking away our jobs.” “They are consuming our welfare and social services.” “They don’t pay taxes.” None of these assertions are true. It is the exact opposite. Migrants and immigrants who are welcomed contribute positively to our communities and to society at large.

In January 2003, the American and Mexican Bishops issued a Pastoral Letter entitled: “Strangers No Longer; A Journey of Hope.” In that statement we presented the authentic Catholic teaching that people have a right to migrate. We tried to dispel the myths surrounding these issues with the facts that are readily available to all. We pointed out that in all circumstances, we must always uphold the dignity of every human being for we are all created in the Image and Likeness of God.

As bishops in this country and citizens of the United States, we recognized that the immigration laws of our country were inadequate. In some cases they were actually unjust. In other instances, they were not properly implemented thus resulting in undue delays which were harmful and truly unnecessary. Therefore, we have appealed for a reform of the current immigrant system. We offered a comprehensive set of recommendations for changing U.S. laws and policies to reflect the principles contained in Scripture and Catholic social teaching. We did this to help bring about a more humane and just immigration system in the United States.

Since that effort began on a national level, where it belongs, many states have entered the foray with proposes of their own “to fix the system.” Unfortunately most of these were desperate attempts to add more fear and fuel to the broken system. Right here in Oklahoma several bills were presented that would indeed be unfair, unjust and counter-productive. Some of these bills are now pending before our state senate.

The proposal of these unjust immigration measures moved me to make a public statement following my visit to the state capitol. That public statement of opposition to these harmful measures is printed on the first page of today’s Sooner Catholic. As you can see there, Bishop Slattery of the Diocese of Tulsa and several other Oklahoma bishops of different faith constituencies have agreed to sign this statement.

I believe the underlying and basic question here is “Who is my neighbor?” And from the answer Jesus gave us in the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan, I can say, among others, it is the migrant. It is the immigrant. It is the one who is in need.

Having said all this, you might now ask what do I want of you? In this regard, only three things:

1. Pray! Pray that Almighty God protects the travelers, the migrants and the immigrants. Pray that each of us will be good Samaritans and help those most in need. Pray that truth, justice, mercy and love motivate all our endeavors and actions.

2. Call! Please call the state capitol to protest anti-immigration legislation now pending before the Senate. Place a call to Mike Morgan, the Senate Pro-Tem leader. Also, make a call to your own proper senator to express your opposition to anti-immigration legislations.

3. Call! On the national level, please call Oklahoma U.S. Senator, Tom Coburn. Senator Coburn is on the committee handling the federal immigration proposals. Let him know that you desire a change in our immigration laws to reflect more clearly freedom, truth and justice for all. In this way, we respect the dignity of the human person and inaugurate a more humane and just immigration system in the United States.

As Pope John Paul II said at the beginning of the new millennium: “We are called to work so that every person’s dignity is respected, the immigrant is welcomed as a brother or sister and all humanity forms a united family which knows how to appreciate with discernment the different cultures which comprise it.”