Looking beneath the surface of heated rhetoric on immigration reform

By Sr. Diane Carollo, S.G.L.

The culture of death has a most profound impact on American society.

The mentality it generates suggests that human life should be viewed as anything less than sacred and inviolable. When this mentality takes hold, human life becomes negotiable and loses its inestimable value in the legal system. It is no surprise then that individuals and society become spiritually bankrupt.

A society that is spiritually bankrupt establishes laws, policies and agendas that promote such things as abortion, reproductive cloning, embryonic

stem-cell research, euthanasia, assisted suicide and the death penalty. This is not to say that this list exhausts all the assaults on the dignity and sanctity of human life in our society.

In recent years, and especially during this election year, the plight of undocumented immigrants has forced voters to evaluate the opinions of various candidates running for political office on immigration reform.

Unfortunately, much of the discussion on immigration reform focuses on punishing undocumented immigrants and building walls to prevent them from gaining access to the United States. What is ignored is the necessity of exercising Christian charity to those who live marginal and vulnerable lives precisely because they are desperately poor.

If we take seriously the words of our Lord, “whatever you did for the least of these my brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40), then the political rhetoric that labels undocumented immigrants who cross our borders as criminals unworthy of charity must be vigorously rejected by the Christian.

A few weeks ago, I sat in the chapel of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis during eucharistic adoration. I overheard a young Mexican father speaking to our Lord with great simplicity. He spoke in Spanish and had no idea that I am bilingual.

This young man, whose little boy sat silently at his side, cried out to God for mercy. I believe he may have been an undocumented immigrant experiencing extreme personal hardship.

In his vocal prayer, he told God about the awful state of affairs of his people who cross the border in the hope of securing a better life. He lamented that many Americans saw them as enemies, but he insisted that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

At one point, this man began to cry. I couldn’t hold myself back and moved up behind him and placed my hand on his shoulder. Again, he cried out to God for mercy. I wanted this man to know that he wasn’t alone.

Clearly, the United States must pursue a policy that shows humanity and Christian compassion to the people who wish us no harm, but only desire to secure basic needs for their families.

As we try to resolve the present immigration crisis in our country, let us prayerfully consider the outlined principals for immigration reform found in the January 2003 pastoral statement of the U.S. Catholic bishops titled Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope.

What is stated in this document is that “any just immigration reform proposal should address the root causes of migration, such as global poverty, and should include the following elements: 1) a broad-based legalization of the undocumented; 2) a temporary worker program with appropriate protections for both U.S. and foreign workers; 3) changes to the family-based immigration system to reduce waiting times for family reunification; and 4) restoration of due process for immigrants.”

Our Indiana bishops, including Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, also released a pastoral letter on immigration in 2007 that shares their thoughts and offers good guidance concerning this difficult issue. It can be found online at www.archindy.org/archbishop/pastoral-2007.html.

In his memoirs, former U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant said that the most immoral thing he ever did was to take part in the war against Mexico. Those who speak of the right to maintain the integrity of our borders should remember that the present border with Mexico is the result of an unjust war waged against that country by the slave interests of the United States.

Let us learn a moral lesson from Grant’s remorse and resolve to avoid the guilt of a cruel harshness toward our southern neighbors.

(Servants of the Gospel of Life Sister Diane Carollo is director of the archdiocesan Office for Pro-Life Ministry.) †