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26 Oct 2014 - Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

My maternal grandmother was Native American. She belonged to the Lake Superior band of the Chippewa tribe and was born on the Bad River Reservation in Northern Wisconsin. Her people have occupied that land for thousands of years. Whenever I used to hear anti-immigration sentiments, my rebuttal was always that Native Americans are the only ones who can make any kind of logical argument about entitlement to be in this country; every other American is either an immigrant or comes from immigrants. But then, several years ago, I participated in the National Geographic Society’s Genographic Project, which is studying human migration patterns. I submitted a DNA sample to the project, which determined the haplogroup to which my X chromosome belongs. The project sent me a map showing the path my X chromosome took out of Africa, up through Asia, over the Bering Strait, and down into North America to the Great Lakes region. It’s amazing to see this journey on paper, and so is the realization that we all come from somewhere else, from the same place ultimately, no matter who we are or where we are today.

Authors Jennifer Tomshack

immigrants immigration

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Crossing the line?

08 Mar 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Because God acquits us, Saint Paul asks in this Sunday's reading from the Letter to the Romans, who will condemn? Latino activists in Arizona, and their supporters nationwide, are concerned that allegedly heavy-handed arrest tactics used by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to counteract illegal immigration amount to racial profiling. Thousands of protesters marched through Phoenix last Saturday. The march in Phoenix also attracted about 150 Arpaio supporters. Marchers called for comprehensive immigration reform and a stop to what they say are abuses of 287(g), shorthand for a section of a 1996 law used to allow local police officers to be deputized as immigration officials. It was intended to be a tool for finding and deporting serious criminals in the country illegally, but opponents argue it is being used to question anyone who happens to look Latino. Arpaio operates the largest 287(g) program in Arizona with 160 trained deputies. He held a news conference after the demonstration last Saturday and vowed to continue the program. "We're not backing down," he said. A report by the Government Accountability Office released Wednesday says the government has failed to determine how many of the thousands of people deported under the 287(g) program were the violent felons it was devised to root out. Some law enforcement agencies had used the program to deport immigrants "who have committed minor crimes," the report said, and at least four agencies referred minor traffic offenders for deportation. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered a review of the program. A top official at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency was set to testify on the program at a Congressional hearing Wednesday afternoon. Source: Articles by the Arizona Republic, Susan Gamboa for the Associated Press, and Randal C. Archibold for the New York Times

maricopa county janet napolitano deportation government accountability office 287g protests phoenix racial profiling illegal immigration heriff joe arpaio immigration and customs enforcement agency
Crossing the line?

08 Mar 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Because God acquits us, Saint Paul asks in this Sunday's reading from the Letter to the Romans, who will condemn? Latino activists in Arizona, and their supporters nationwide, are concerned that allegedly heavy-handed arrest tactics used by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to counteract illegal immigration amount to racial profiling. Thousands of protesters marched through Phoenix last Saturday. The march in Phoenix also attracted about 150 Arpaio supporters. Marchers called for comprehensive immigration reform and a stop to what they say are abuses of 287(g), shorthand for a section of a 1996 law used to allow local police officers to be deputized as immigration officials. It was intended to be a tool for finding and deporting serious criminals in the country illegally, but opponents argue it is being used to question anyone who happens to look Latino. Arpaio operates the largest 287(g) program in Arizona with 160 trained deputies. He held a news conference after the demonstration last Saturday and vowed to continue the program. "We're not backing down," he said. A report by the Government Accountability Office released Wednesday says the government has failed to determine how many of the thousands of people deported under the 287(g) program were the violent felons it was devised to root out. Some law enforcement agencies had used the program to deport immigrants "who have committed minor crimes," the report said, and at least four agencies referred minor traffic offenders for deportation. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered a review of the program. A top official at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency was set to testify on the program at a Congressional hearing Wednesday afternoon. Source: Articles by the Arizona Republic, Susan Gamboa for the Associated Press, and Randal C. Archibold for the New York Times

maricopa county janet napolitano deportation government accountability office 287g protests phoenix racial profiling illegal immigration heriff joe arpaio immigration and customs enforcement agency
Migration reforms the political landscape

17 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Jesus reminds his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "it was not you who chose me, but I who chose you." A record 1 million immigrants chose to become U.S. citizens in 2008, a trend that is transforming the political map in immigrant-rich states such as California, Florida, and Texas. California's 300,000 new citizens accounted for nearly one-third of the nation's total and represented a near-doubling over 2006, according to a recent report by the U.S. Office of Immigration Statistics. Florida recorded the second-largest group of new citizens, and Texas claimed the fastest growth. Mexicans, who have traditionally registered low rates of naturalization, represented the largest group of new citizens, with nearly one-fourth of the total. They were followed by Indians, Filipinos, Chinese, Cubans, and Vietnamese. The new citizens are likely to reorder policy priorities in their states, political analysts predict. Polls show that Latinos and Asians are more supportive than whites of public investments and broad services, even if they require higher taxes. New citizen Alfonso Vergara is one product of a massive citizenship campaign effort by Latino groups in California this past year. A Mexico native and pharmaceutical technician, the 31-year-old said he had postponed applying for citizenship for years because the process seemed too time-consuming. But last year he was swept up in the marches and the call for civic activism. "It was time for me to build a stronger future for my family and become a more active person in this country," Vargas said. "This isn't about helping Latinos for the sake of helping Latinos. This is about helping Latinos succeed for the sake of America." Source: An article by Teresa Watanabe for The Los Angeles Times

immigrants immigration california united states texas florida office of immigration statistics alfonso vergara latinos
Migration reforms the political landscape

17 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Jesus reminds his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "it was not you who chose me, but I who chose you." A record 1 million immigrants chose to become U.S. citizens in 2008, a trend that is transforming the political map in immigrant-rich states such as California, Florida, and Texas. California's 300,000 new citizens accounted for nearly one-third of the nation's total and represented a near-doubling over 2006, according to a recent report by the U.S. Office of Immigration Statistics. Florida recorded the second-largest group of new citizens, and Texas claimed the fastest growth. Mexicans, who have traditionally registered low rates of naturalization, represented the largest group of new citizens, with nearly one-fourth of the total. They were followed by Indians, Filipinos, Chinese, Cubans, and Vietnamese. The new citizens are likely to reorder policy priorities in their states, political analysts predict. Polls show that Latinos and Asians are more supportive than whites of public investments and broad services, even if they require higher taxes. New citizen Alfonso Vergara is one product of a massive citizenship campaign effort by Latino groups in California this past year. A Mexico native and pharmaceutical technician, the 31-year-old said he had postponed applying for citizenship for years because the process seemed too time-consuming. But last year he was swept up in the marches and the call for civic activism. "It was time for me to build a stronger future for my family and become a more active person in this country," Vargas said. "This isn't about helping Latinos for the sake of helping Latinos. This is about helping Latinos succeed for the sake of America." Source: An article by Teresa Watanabe for The Los Angeles Times

immigrants immigration california united states texas florida office of immigration statistics alfonso vergara latinos
Neighborly disagreement at NAFTA-partner summit

16 Aug 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In the reading from the Book of Proverbs this Sunday, Wisdom encourages us to "advance in the way of understanding." Hoping to do the same, leaders of Canada, the United States, and Mexico met in Guadalajara, Mexico this week for their fourth annual summit, an effort to bring the signers of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) closer together. But the meeting also served to highlight differences on issues such as migration and drug trafficking. President Barack Obama said at the conclusion of the summit Monday that his administration will seek a comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. immigration system this year but that no action on legislation will happen before 2010. The issue of immigration has also generated controversy between Canada and Mexico. Canada announced last month it would begin requiring Mexican citizens to secure visas before entering the country, a decision that angered many in Mexico. The Canadian government claimed too many Mexicans are fraudulently claiming political asylum in Canada, overwhelming the system. The Mexican government struck back with an announcement that Canadian diplomats and government officials would now be required to obtain visas to enter Mexico. Mexico also raised a trade dispute that began when the U.S. Congress canceled a program, in violation of NAFTA, that allowed Mexican trucks to operate in the United States. Mexico responded by imposing billions of dollars in tariffs on American products. Another sore point is the "buy American" clause in the Obama administration's economic stimulus plan, which both Canada and Mexico oppose. There is also some discord on the issue of combating Mexico's drug violence. The American aid package for Mexico says that 15 percent of the funds can be disbursed only if the U.S. State Department decides that the Mexican government meets certain human rights conditions. Recently reports of abuse have emerged. Mexican President Felipe Calderón's government has characterized any abuses as isolated. And aides to Obama said he strongly favors releasing the aid. Source: Articles by Cheryl W. Thompson and William Booth for the Washington Post and Ginger Thompson and Marc Lacey for the New York Times

immigration drug trafficking canada nafta north american free trade agreement felipe calderon mexico united states barack obama visas
Does Arizona immigration law cross the line?

02 May 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

We read in the Sunday's selection from the Acts of the Apostles that it was necessary the disciples "undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." Opponents of Arizona's controversial new immigration law believe it drives a wedge between law enforcement officials and the Latino community and will impose undo hardships on all immigrants, regardless of their legal status, simply because of the way they look or speak. The new law calls on law enforcement officers to make a "reasonable attempt" to check immigration documents when there's "reasonable suspicion" that a person is an illegal immigrant. Public figures ranging from civil rights activists and religious leaders to Hispanic members of Congress and the mayor of Phoenix strongly object to the law, saying it will lead to racial and ethnic profiling and constitutional violations. Supporters of the legislation say tough measures were made necessary by the failure of the federal government to adequately seal the border Arizona shares with Mexico, and that the state can no longer cope with an estimated 450,000 illegal immigrants. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, said critics were "overreacting" and that she wouldn't tolerate racial profiling. "We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act," Brewer said after signing the law. "But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation." Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, however, is concerned that the law will be used excessively and will irrevocably damage relations between police and the Latino community. "Policing depends on casual contact," said Goddard. "This bill is going to stop that communication, [and] police without citizen observers are a tenth of the value." Mexican president Felipe Calderón weighed in with condemnation of the law and warned that relations with the border state will suffer as a result. The head of the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza, said: "We consider the bill clearly discriminatory against immigrants, and especially against immigrants from Latin America." The government of the Mexican state of Sonora, which sits across the border from Arizona, announced it would not attend a cooperation meeting the two states have held annually for four decades. Arizona Senator John McCain (R.-Ariz.) said the law was made necessary by years of federal neglect and failure to seal the border. But other Republicans, especially those from states with large Hispanic populations, have spoken out against the law. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said that the law could face a constitutional challenge. "We are considering all possibilities, including the possibility of a court challenge," Holder said. "I think that [Arizona's] law is an unfortunate one. I think that it is, I fear, subject to potential abuse. And I'm very concerned about the wedge that it could draw between communities that law enforcement is supposed to serve and those of us in law enforcement. " Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, head of the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, condemned the legislation in a blog post even before it became law. "The tragedy of the law is its totally flawed reasoning: that immigrants come to our country to rob, plunder, and consume public resources," Mahony said. Source: Articles by Nathan Thornburgh for TIME, Daniel B. Wood for Christian Science Monitor, Ewan MacAskill for guardian.co.uk, the Associated Press, CNN, and MSNBC.com

immigration law enforcement eric holder john mccain sonora josé miguel insulza terry goddard jan brewer immigration law arizona felipe calderon organization of american states roger mahony
Does Arizona immigration law cross the line?

02 May 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

We read in the Sunday's selection from the Acts of the Apostles that it was necessary the disciples "undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." Opponents of Arizona's controversial new immigration law believe it drives a wedge between law enforcement officials and the Latino community and will impose undo hardships on all immigrants, regardless of their legal status, simply because of the way they look or speak. The new law calls on law enforcement officers to make a "reasonable attempt" to check immigration documents when there's "reasonable suspicion" that a person is an illegal immigrant. Public figures ranging from civil rights activists and religious leaders to Hispanic members of Congress and the mayor of Phoenix strongly object to the law, saying it will lead to racial and ethnic profiling and constitutional violations. Supporters of the legislation say tough measures were made necessary by the failure of the federal government to adequately seal the border Arizona shares with Mexico, and that the state can no longer cope with an estimated 450,000 illegal immigrants. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, said critics were "overreacting" and that she wouldn't tolerate racial profiling. "We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act," Brewer said after signing the law. "But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation." Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, however, is concerned that the law will be used excessively and will irrevocably damage relations between police and the Latino community. "Policing depends on casual contact," said Goddard. "This bill is going to stop that communication, [and] police without citizen observers are a tenth of the value." Mexican president Felipe Calderón weighed in with condemnation of the law and warned that relations with the border state will suffer as a result. The head of the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza, said: "We consider the bill clearly discriminatory against immigrants, and especially against immigrants from Latin America." The government of the Mexican state of Sonora, which sits across the border from Arizona, announced it would not attend a cooperation meeting the two states have held annually for four decades. Arizona Senator John McCain (R.-Ariz.) said the law was made necessary by years of federal neglect and failure to seal the border. But other Republicans, especially those from states with large Hispanic populations, have spoken out against the law. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said that the law could face a constitutional challenge. "We are considering all possibilities, including the possibility of a court challenge," Holder said. "I think that [Arizona's] law is an unfortunate one. I think that it is, I fear, subject to potential abuse. And I'm very concerned about the wedge that it could draw between communities that law enforcement is supposed to serve and those of us in law enforcement. " Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, head of the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, condemned the legislation in a blog post even before it became law. "The tragedy of the law is its totally flawed reasoning: that immigrants come to our country to rob, plunder, and consume public resources," Mahony said. Source: Articles by Nathan Thornburgh for TIME, Daniel B. Wood for Christian Science Monitor, Ewan MacAskill for guardian.co.uk, the Associated Press, CNN, and MSNBC.com

immigration law enforcement eric holder john mccain sonora josé miguel insulza terry goddard jan brewer immigration law arizona felipe calderon organization of american states roger mahony
Justice Department zeroes in on Arizona law

11 Jul 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Legal questions figure prominently in this Sunday’s readings from the Book of Deuteronomy, the Gospel of Luke, and Psalm 19. The Obama administration questioned the legality of Arizona’s new immigration law in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, setting up a rare clash between the federal government and a state on one of the nation’s most divisive social issues. The U.S. Justice Department lawsuit charges that the Arizona law cracking down on illegal immigrants conflicts with federal law, would disrupt immigration enforcement, and would lead to police harassment of those who cannot prove their lawful status. "The Constitution and the federal immigration laws do not permit the development of a patchwork of state and local immigration policies throughout the country," the lawsuit says. The Arizona law, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer in April, obliges police to ask for proof of residency from those who, in the course of interaction with police, raise a "reasonable suspicion" of being an illegal immigrant. Civil rights groups claim the law targets Hispanics, though the legislation says police "may not consider race, color, or national origin" in seeking to determine immigration status. "It's quite extraordinary," said Richard D. Friedman, a law professor at the University of Michigan, of the government lawsuit. Typically, he said, the government files briefs or seeks to intervene in lawsuits filed by others against state statutes. In their 25-page complaint, Justice Department lawyers cite the legal doctrine of "preemption," which is based on the Constitution's supremacy clause and says federal law trumps state statutes. Because the federal government has "preeminent authority to regulate immigration matters," the lawsuit argues, the Arizona law must be struck down. In challenging a state law, federal lawyers stepped squarely into the politically charged debate over how to handle the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. Reaction to the suit poured in from all sides, much of it couched in highly charged language, making it clear that this was no ordinary legal filing but rather the start of a battle that will help define the midterm elections this fall. Source: An article by Jerry Markon and Michael D. Shear for the Washington Post

justice department arizona immigration law lawsuit
Immigration law crossed the line, judge rules

01 Aug 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Jesus responds when asked to step into a legal dispute in this Sunday’s gospel. He thenmakes a pronouncement that gives all parties pause. In the same way, in an eleventh-hour decision, a federal judge Wednesday blocked key elements of a controversial Arizona immigration law slated to go into effect Thursday. The law made being an undocumented immigrant a state crime and would have required state and local police, during lawful contact, to investigate the status of anyone they reasonably suspected of being an illegal immigrant. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton shifts the immigration debate to the courts and sets up a lengthy legal battle that may not be decided until the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in. Republican Gov. Jan Brewer said the state will appeal the ruling. But for now opponents of the law have prevailed: The provisions that most alarmed the law's foes will not take effect, including the section that required officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws. The judge also delayed parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times and made it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places, a provision aimed at day laborers. In addition, Bolton blocked officers from making warrantless arrests of suspected undocumented immigrants. "Requiring Arizona law enforcement officials and agencies to determine the immigration status of every person who is arrested burdens lawfully-present aliens because their liberty will be restricted while their status is checked," Bolton said in her decision. "I am grateful that U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton ruled today that the most egregious sections of the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 were not allowable under federal law and ordered those halted," Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles said in a statement. Supporters of the law took solace in the fact that the judge did keep several portions of the law intact, including a section that bars local governments from limiting enforcement of federal immigration laws by declaring their municipality a "sanctuary city." Obscured by the controversy is the fact that record numbers of illegal immigrants are being deported this year--an estimated 400,000, a 25 percent increase since 2007. Businesses suspected of hiring undocumented workers are being audited in record numbers as well. Source: Articles by Tim Gaynor for Reuters, Peter Slevin for the Washington Post, Carlos Lozano and Nicholas Riccardi for the Los Angeles Times, and Jacques Billeaud and Amanda Lee Myers for the Associated Press

illegal immigration arizona roger mahony susan bolton illegal immigrants

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