Wester, of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, was one of four featured speakers at a news conference organized by Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CCIR), a coalition born in May to push for humane reforms. The media event, accessible by phone to out-of-state reporters, coincided with the release of a new CCIR report, "A House Divided: Why Americans of Faith Are Concerned About Undocumented Immigrants."
The joint message decried the demonization of others, the rise in hate and the atmosphere of fear and anger that has swirled around immigration policy debates - among elected officials and in bedroom communities. It was a cry to protect families, not force them apart or into the shadows, especially in light of the coming holidays. It reflected a hope to uphold the American way.
"No person is illegal in God's eyes," said Wester, recently named chairman of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops' Committee on Migration. "We cannot sustain a status quo that accepts the toil and taxes of the undocumented population on one hand yet scapegoats and dehumanizes them on the other. We cannot employ workers and then refuse to offer them the protection of the law. This is contrary to our history and to the democratic principles we all cherish."
Likewise, regardless of where people stand on policy, the treatment of immigrants should adhere to religious teachings, said the Rev. Jim Wallis, founder and head of Sojourners, a ministry of social justice that serves as the umbrella organization for CCIR.
"When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the stranger. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you. You shall love the stranger as yourself for you were strangers in the land of Egypt," he said, quoting Leviticus 19:33-34.
"For Jesus said, 'I was a stranger, and you welcomed me,' " he continued. "If you tell us Christian ministry is illegal, we'll go ahead and do Christian ministry, whether it's legal or not."
CCIR's new report is intended to raise awareness about the impact of hateful rhetoric, divisive legislation and racial profiling on Latino immigrant families, children in particular and communities at large.
