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 The Texas Catholic Bishops expressed their disappointment at the passage of House Bill 12 today, issuing a statement which called the passage of the bill an affront to the dignity of Texans that ignores our State’s rich heritage and cultural diversity and oversteps the appropriate authority of state government. (Read press release here).
Throughout the legislative session, the Texas Catholic Bishops have advocated for gracious tone in the state immigration debate and legislation that upholds the dignity of the human person.
“We pray that when this bill continues on to the Senate, that our Texas Senators will affirm the dignity of all human life in our state and protect the safety of our communities,” say the Bishops in their statement. “We urge Texas’ Senators to champion respect for all people, a respect not earned but imbued by God our Creator, and oppose HB 12.”
Several bishops and hundreds of Catholics advocated against HB 12 during the Catholic Faith in Action advocacy day on April 6, 2011.
“We oppose legislation that allow or require local or state entities to evaluate an individual’s immigration status,” said Bishop Daniel Flores, Bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville, at a press conference on the advocacy day. “Requiring law enforcement to investigate immigration status every time they make an arrest is burdensome and a threat to public safety. It will divert scarce resources away from investigating and pursuing serious criminals. The use of police officers to enforce immigration laws will likely undermine the relationship between the local police and the communities they serve.”
The Texas Bishops support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to permanent residency, emphasizes family unity, and addresses the root causes of migration in sending countries. The Texas Bishops’ immigration-related legislative priorities also include opposing the enforcement of federal law by local and state law enforcement, as well as opposition to a Texas-Mexico border fence and any efforts to reduce access to education or health care for immigrants.
The Texas Catholic Conference is the association of the 15 Roman Catholic dioceses of the State of Texas and is the official public policy voice of the Bishops of Texas. For more information on the Texas Catholic Conference, visit www.TXCatholic.org. For information regarding the position of the U.S. Bishops on comprehensive immigration reform, visit the Justice for Immigrants web site, www.JusticeForImmigrants.org.
Read the full statement online here.
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