The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns follows immigration primarily through two sources, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Justice for Immigrants campaign, and the Border Working Group, a coalition of faith-based groups who have colleagues and interests along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The MOGC invites al Maryknoll Affiliates to consider attending next spring’s Ecumenical Advocacy Days, March 19-21, to be held in Washington, D.C. This annual gathering of Christian activists from around the country is always an impressive and enriching weekend of speakers and workshops on issues of social justice and peace. The theme for 2010 is “A Place to Call Home: Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Peoples.” Please visit www.advocacydays.org for more information, and contact the MOGC (ogc@maryknoll.org; 202-832-1780) if you plan to attend. We would gladly accompany any and all Affiliates during the EAD weekend and lobby day.
The following policy update is based on information from USCCB staff: In the recently-passed American Families Health Care Affordability Act (HR 3962), legal immigrants and other legally present immigrants would be eligible for government subsidies to purchase health insurance. Unauthorized immigrants would not be eligible for subsidies, but would be permitted to purchase health-care insurance with their own funds. HR 3962 did not lift the five-year ban on legal immigrants accessing Medicaid, as many advocates wanted. The Senate is now combining health care bills from two committees into one bill for consideration by the full body. The Senate Finance Committee version is the toughest on unauthorized immigrants, explicitly barring them from purchasing government-subsidized health insurance with their own funds. You can find an action alert targeted to senators on the MOGC website.
At a recent speaking engagement, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano reaffirmed the Obama administration’s commitment to reforming the nation’s immigration laws. She stated that reform is needed in order to help regulate legal immigration and bring order to the U.S.’s immigration system. When asked when immigration reform legislation would move in Congress, given other priorities such as health-care reform, Napolitano said in early 2010 and that this administration was able to “multi-task.” Her remarks are available at the Center for American Progress: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/11/napolitano_event.html
On October 13, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) unveiled a list of principles that is guiding his draft immigration bill in the House, which is expected to be introduced sometime after Thanksgiving. The principles are: pathway to legalization for undocumented workers; professional and effective border enforcement; smart and humane interior enforcement; protecting workers; sound verification systems; family unity; future flow of workers; AgJOBS/DREAM legislation; and iintegration of immigrants. Though Rep. Gutierrez’s bill is not expected to move through the House, it will serve as an important guidepost for a more viable bill likely coming from Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s (D-CA) office, who is chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Immigration.
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) attempted to offer an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, and State appropriations measure which would require Census officials to ask participants their legal status. The effect of the amendment would have been to chill the participation of immigrants in the 2010 Census. Because of opposition from the Obama administration and advocates, the amendment was not offered on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
On November 3, His Eminence Theodore Cardinal McCarrick delivered a talk at a symposium on theology and migration sponsored by the Woodstock Theological Union. Cardinal McCarrick spoke to the theological and Gospel underpinnings of church teaching on migration. You can find a PDF of the cardinal’s speech on the MOGC website.
