Cardinal Mahony, others call for immigration reform amid recession

Religious and labor leaders today called on the Congress and the president-elect to pass an immigration package this year and said that the American economy cannot be restored without legalizing the nation’s undocumented immigrants.

“I don’t think it’s possible to fix the American economy without comprehensive immigration reform,” John Wilhelm, president of Unite Here, said during a media call.

Wilhelm said legislation would improve the economy by placing workers and employers on an even playing field, eliminating exploitation and increasing wages and tax compliance.

Cardinal Roger Mahony said now is the time for immigration reform.

“The nation cannot have it both ways,” Mahony said. “We cannot accept the toil and taxes of immigrants while relegating them to a permanent underclass subject to abuse and exploitation.”

“Immigration reform must be addressed sooner rather than later," the cardinal said. "We need a just resolution to a public debate that is dangerously corrosive and will only worsen with inaction. To continue to delay action will increase tension in states and localities, further alienate immigrant communities, and tacitly affirm the acceptance of a hidden and permanent underclass in our society.”

Mahony, a longtime backer of immigration reform, called on the incoming Barack Obama administration "to take up and enact comprehensive immigration reform legislation during the 111th Congress. Immigrants must be brought out of the shadows so they can fully contribute to our nation’s future economic and social well-being.”

--Anna Gorman

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Domingo Fuentes]

"Illegal aliens" are not all mexicans, are not all hispanics, but this does not hold people back from trying to step on all mexicans, and hispanics. There are "Illegal aliens from china, japan and european countries as well, how do i know, i am a college student and i communicate with all of them. True to all the comments that people have left for this article, pro and cons. "Reform" does not mean to legalize all the illegal aliens in the united stated, the US government is not dumb enough to pull off a stunt like that, because there is a chance that cituation the we find ourselfes in can get worst. Setting limitations and requirements would be necessary to legalize immigrants in the US. People also mention underemployed and unemployed, this only means that there are people out there that do the job better and legal peple here in the US. Stop complaining and work harder, after all immigrants don't complain they just do what is neccesary.
There are a lot of really bad people out there who kill, smuggle drugs, and rape. Not all of them are illegal, why point the finger at a group of peple and not individuals because not all americans are innocent.
I know a lot of undocumented people who are tired of all this crime and would like to be cops, detectives, nurses, docters and help the country out to make it a better place.
There will always be two sides to everything, what we must do is open our eyes and help each other out.
Together "We the People" can save our young one's future.

[Dana Garcia]

It's amazing how sanity flies out the window when the subject is amnesty for lawbreaking illegal aliens. Over 11 million Americans are unemployed and 8 million are underemployed, yet faux humanitarians like pedophile-protector Roger Mahony want to import millions more. Haven't these people heard of supply and demand? A flooded employment market means lower wages for those lucky enough to find a job -- great news for employers.

Mahony wants only to keep his pews full of Mexicans credulous enough to accept Catholic pronouncements with no question. The fact that Americans suffer as a result of his actions matters zero to him. It's remarkable that such a corrupt figure as Roger Mahony is still accepted by the press as a source of moral teaching.

[Alan]

Why make Hispanics a special case?
I say throw the doors open, on proper application processing, to all the bright, young educated members of democratic countries around the world to come work in America for a time.
There are many young unemployed/students etc who would love a chance to work in the US, even temporarily.
If they keep their noses clean they can earn credit towards citizenship through work/education/community service. No guarantees but a chance.

Of course, anyone who has broken the law by coming here illegally, regardless of race, stays at the back of the queue.

[Beth]

Immigrants are good for the economy and it makes complete sense. I'm glad morality is trumping bigotry in the Catholic church right now.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.pdf

[toutou]

Mahony is totally right he proves that he is not living in a box and he can see the bigger picture.
The easiest way the Obama administration can fix this economy is by fixing this immigration dilema that is call get two bird with one stone..
12 million people pay the government over $4000 fine
that will create job because DHS will have to hire people to procces those forms.
housing market just bottom how in hell it will go back up when almost everybody has a forclosure on their credit report the so call undocumented immigrants dont have forclosure on their record most of them has a job and kids once they are legal they will be bying!

Talking about stimilus package! 12 million people have some money they are holding on because they dont know where they will be one week from now they have to save the most out of their pay check!

I heard some people complaining about illegal immigrant using the public services like hospital and schools I wonder who pay for those services ? If the legal resident and US citizens pay for them make the undocumented legal so they can pay their share! sorry if I dont mention some are paying tax they just cant collect a tax return sweeeet.

Beside, out of the 12 million illegal! there are doctors, lawyers,pastors,they maybe from poor country the immigration system does not welcome them. for short,people from all walk of life yes I agree there are also some thugs and bad character but some will be creating jobs too.
Do you call that,"immigration system" where you have to wait in line for over 10 years to get a visa to come here? who is promised to live 10 years from now!
do you think its fair for canadian to come here anytime they want when a mexican is getting deported everyday I wonder what is the difference betwen thos those 2 countries lol I am not blind one is white and the other is so called brown.Tell me one black country allowed in the US without visa I will name you 10 white countries while you are looking for a black country let me start by telling you some white country that doesnt need a visa to come over in the US.
Canada, france ,england,spain,australia,want to know more call DHS.
By the way I am the Haitian Kid adopted by a US citizens at the aged of 13.He applied twice for me to come here both time application denied for no obvious reason.the second time i even got an aproval notice saying that i was approved then because of a simple of adrress changed i di not get this letter in the mail gess what denied lol.I got involve in politic at age of 19 it almost cost me my life at two diff occasions manage to come here illegaly at 21 years old applied for political asylum the judge told me I should be a US citizen already lol I was at wrong place wrong time twice therefore I am not qualify! answer that judge " I would be a citizen if i was adopted angelina and brad suck to be me my dad is a regular citizenworking as welder at that time!
I have no deportation but no valid status either,I am running 2 succesful small business, Every lawyer look at my case laugh and back away I ended up with 3 diff alien number from INS.One lawyer tell me to just lay low they may even forget if I am here!
If anyone think they can help me free because I spent over $20,000 in lawyer and filing fees. contact me toutouber@hotmail.com
by the way I make my friend and family vote for Obama

[Fermin]

It would only be fair to get this people out of the shadows. Doing it in a compassionate and orderly way I think would make everybody happy. What do the people that don't like undocumented immigrants want? What do the undocumented immigrants want? The first want everybody who wasn't born in the U.S. deported back to their countries. The second, to come out of the shadows, to pay taxes, not to feel as if they are being chased by ICE, and to be able to be called AMERICANS (if they wanted otherwise they would've not wasted their time marchig in '06 and voting in '08). They as everybody else wanted a change (it finally came).
Nobody is saying AMNESTY but earned citizenship, if they pay back taxes, a fine and get in the back of the line, that to me does not sound as amnesty but something earned, if they commited a crime they don't belong here, but if they abide by the law, that means they do want to become Americans (why shouldn't they).
Think of how many millions would be pumped into the economy if they get a fine of $3,000.00 and then pay the fees for service (roughly $1,200.00) do the math $4,200.00 X 12,000,000.00. It would be a lot of money.
That's the monetary part, how about the fact that we as Americans brag about that we are acompassionate nation (is this a facade?) I don't think so.
Let's not separate families and let's welcome all the immigrants that come to this great country to make it greater.
After all this country was built on the back of immigrants from all over the world.
I don't intend to change anybody's mind but to shine a light into a dark volatile issue that looks as if will never be resolved.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.

[Marge Wood]

Here are a couple of reality links for our good Cardinal to ponder in his stubborn defense of illegal aliens:

http://www.voiac.org/

http://www.operationbodycount.com/

Maybe his conscience would benefit from listening to the real victims

[Marge Wood]

Cardinal Mahoney has forgotten the Ten Commandments and his continued support of illegal activity is nothing short of enabling sinners. He needs to look at the walls around the Vatican and the fences around the White House to realize that there are boundaries set for the creation of peace and order. Inviting the Third World aliens to steal, cheat and lie under the guise of "justice for immigrants" will be judged harshly before God. The rest of us Catholics have a conscience and know right from wrong. We see the pain and suffering that illegal aliens have caused Americans including countless crimes, deaths from DUIs and massive consumption of social resources that are being denied American citizens. Shame on these do-gooders who keep patting themselves on the back while stealing from others. Only those with complete blinders on think that single mom illegal aliens who pop out American citizen anchor babies are doing Godly works for mercy. Our clergy have lost their way and wonder why they are losing their flock......

[NoMoreBlatherDotCom]

The groups that are currently calling for "reform" are also currently publicly opposing almost all forms of enforcement. The "reform" they support will give them more power, and they'll use that increased power to push for as little enforcement as possible, in the hopes of obtaining even more power.

It's like asking the fox to guard the henhouse, and giving the fox a fork and a knife.

And, the LAT is right there helping them by having a hack like Anna Gorman cover these stories rather than someone who'll do real reporting and tell the truth.

[drivlin]

Those who compare what His Eminence and the other advocates are calling for to whyat was half done in 1986 are dead wrong. Then, we chickened out and only did the legalization part. It didn't lead to more illegal immigration, but it also didn't deal with the fact that we had more demand for immigration than we had supply of legal immigration. This mismatch between visas and demand for visas (from our economy and families) is the same problem that created the large population of immigrants here without visas now.

The opponents of legal immigration (and the loudest folks opposed to illegal immigration don't like the legal either) are pushing a red herring. Why would widening legal channels so that more people come with visas rather than smugglers raise "illegal" immigration? Seems to me it would replace the illegal flow with a vetted, regulated, controlled and legal one.

[Zach]

I'll listen to a preacher tell me how to run a country the day I listen to a politician tell me how to get into Heaven. Mahoney's right that we ought not continue to accept their toil or taxes, though. Shut the illegals out of the job market; American citizens, including LEGAL immigrants, need work! Any reform should protect THEM.

[NoMoreBlatherDotCom]

My comments here:

http://24ahead.com/cardinal-mahony-janet-murguia-unite-here-frank-sharry-ali-no

Perhaps next time, Gorman might consider doing some real reporting and pointing out the huge flaws in their logic. For instance, the "reform" they support will lead to more illegal immigration. And, unless we're willing to grant citizenships at the border to any who want them, that means a new underclass will build up. At the same time, Mahony pretends to oppose building an underclass.

And, the "moral authority" also might note that increased illegal immigration will lead to more people trying to cross the desert, leading to more people dying along the way. And, he'll be partly responsible for that.

[m]

Mahoney is one to talk about following the laws. Pederasty is illegal, yet people under his command have no problem breaking those laws.

If the church would encourage birth control, the supply and demand portion of the labor element would stabilize in the Latin American economies, preventing the massive illegal immigration that we see today.