By Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Catholic bishops are undertaking several steps to urge members of Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Their Justice of Immigrants campaign includes a new website, a nationwide action alert and a postcard campaign.

“The American public, including the Catholic and other faith communities, want a humane and comprehensive solution to the problems which beset our immigration system, and they want Congress to address this issue,” said Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chair of the bishops’ committee on migration, when announcing the renewed effort Jan. 6.

Last month nearly two dozen members of Congress, flanked by dozens of kids wearing T-shirts reading “Future Voter” opened the push for a new comprehensive immigration reform bill.

The legislation — called Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009, or CIR ASAP — was unveiled before a roomful of advocates from churches, community groups and others with interests in fixing the current immigration system.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., who has shepherded the process of drafting the bill, said the bill would carry the name of Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Texas, founder of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Ryan Dwyer, immigration policy adviser for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the new legislation would provide:

• New standards for immigrant detention.

• No “touchback” provision, which in previous bills would have required undocumented immigrants to return to their home countries to apply for legalization in the U.S.

• The end of a program that gave local law enforcement agencies the authority to enforce federal immigration laws.

• A prohibition on creating a national identification card.

• Provisions allowing spouses and minor children to continue with their applications for naturalization or status adjustment even after the death of the family member that is a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

The bill also calls for a new independent federal commission on immigration and labor markets. This commission would be charged with setting levels of immigration based on employment needs.

A 12-page summary of the bill includes points on border security, detention standards and employer verification in its enforcement sections.

A U.S. bishops new postcard campaign will urge Congress to take up as its next priority comprehensive immigration reform that would reunite families, regularize the status of an estimated 12 million people in this country illegally and restore due process protections for immigrants.

“We want to increase Catholic grass-roots support for immigration reform, but we also want to show members of Congress a strong Catholic voice and strong Catholic numbers in support of immigration reform,” said Antonio Cube, national manager of the U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants project.

Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany, N.Y., chair of the bishops’ committee on international policy, said the bishops also want the legislation to address the root causes of migration and help enable people to make a decent living in their own countries.

“The first principle of the U.S. bishops with regard to immigration is that migrants have the right not to migrate — in other words, to be able to find work in their own home countries so they can support their families in dignity,” he said. “Migration should be driven by choice, not necessity.”

More information is available at: www.justiceforimmigrants.org

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