By Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, Bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont

From the new reports and table conversations the topic of immigration often comes up. It is a highly emotionally-charged issue, especially after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the economic crisis.

The issue of immigration is much bigger than with our neighbor to the South – Mexico; however, the border with Mexico is getting most of the attention. In discussing the issue, the information most people receive is usually from news snippets, hearsay, or an emotional opinion not always based on fact. Everyone agrees, however, that our borders, especially with Mexico, need to be protected. We Catholic bishops have insisted that a humane and comprehensive immigration policy is needed, and we have outlined what that policy should contain. I will reiterate the principles of our position at the end of this article.

First, I would like to share with you my experience and observation on my recent visit with other bishops to the El Paso-Juarez border. On the morning of Oct. 20, 2011, we were escorted along the border by the Border Patrol while they explained what they do to protect the border. We saw the fence along El Paso and Juarez and the wall in the more remote areas.

It is my view that the fence divides two worlds – one very poor and the other much better off. The Border Patrol guide explained that the number of people trying to cross the border has diminished tremendously, at least along the El Paso area, due to the increased border patrols and the high tech detection of persons trying to cross the border illegally. Read Full Story on the Diocese of Beaumont web site >>