The New Sanctuary Movement incorporates a network of churches and other religious facilities to house immigrants who are in danger of deportation, offering them support and in some cases legal aid. That includes providing shelter in a church if authorities issue a warrant for deportation -- though there’s debate as to whether a church can legally keep out federal agents. U.S. Immigration and Customs spokesmen have been quoted in several news stories arguing that agents have the right to arrest anyone violating immigration laws, but they stop short of saying they'll send agents into churches to drag illegals out.
In any event, the Movement plans to announce its Kansas City opening at a 6:15 p.m. news conference on Tuesday at the corner of Truman and Paseo, according to local organizer Dan Romero of Interfaith Worker Justice of Kansas City. No Kansas City churches have yet taken in an immigrant family, but Romero says at least a dozen in Kansas and Missouri would be available as families seek help.
Though it seems as if the Movement’s efforts might be in response to the city’s escalating rhetorical battle over illegal immigration, it’s not. Romero says the group has been discreetly organizing over several months. Families participating in the program and sanctuary locations will be public, and Romero assumes there will be “significant opposition.” When and if that happens, Romero says, they’ve got a plan to deal with it. “We’ll reveal that when it comes up, but we’re prepared to do what’s necessary.” – Peter Rugg
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Mr Gorak--
I agree with most all of what you say. Things are no different there than they are here- it only appears that way because of the relativity of our situations. My one disappointment in your email is that your coalition is against immigration. Perhaps America, a country of immigrants, would be better served if you were against ILLEGAL immigration?
And Gloria-
Your suggestion that America send every "working" person back to his homeland is exactly the inaccuracy that fuels the naivety of the amnesty-for-illegals movement. Who would work in the service industry? The same legal Americans that currently do- and likely even MORE as the demand (and thus wage) for those employees increases. Not only was your question not thought through, but it was also extremely offensive to proud legal Americans who work in the service industry. Is that bleeding heart obstructing your view?
And finally, thank all of you for not going into the whole "jobs that Americans won't do" rant. There should be NO job that an American won't do. We are all human, we are all citizens, we all have a role in society. People who feel they are above any job have just as many entitlement issues as people who think they are above LEGALLY immigrating to any country.
Mr. Gorak: you may be right that people in Mexico are not starving, but it sure comes close to it. I suggest you view the film: A Day Without A Mexican. It is a parody of a documentary showing what would happen in the United States if we forced illegal immigrants back to their homeland (and illegal immigrants are just not Mexicans). If the U.S. sent every working person back to their homeland, who would work in the service industry? Right now, the U.S. citizens consider the salary too low. Let's say the U.S. did send illegal immigrants back so that Americans could work in the fields at labor intensive jobs. The business owners would have to raise salaries, which would have a trickle-down effect. I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to pay $1-$2 for a tomato. Be careful what you wish for.
People in Mexico are NOT starving. Yes, about half the people live in people but there is no famine in a country that by no means is "poor."
You should also know that most illegals have jobs in Mexico, but they want better for themselves and their families. What they should be doing, however, is marching through their own streets carrying their own flag and demanding of their government what they have no right to demand of ours.
This country was not created for the purpose of saving the rest of the world. Even overloaded life boats sink.
Ex-Mexican President Vicente Fax recently hit the nail on the head when he said Latin America completely missed out on the 20th century by allowing itself to be run by dictators instead of embracing democracy.
Dave Gorak
Executive director
Midwest Coalition to Reduce Immigration
LaValle, WI
Agreed they should lose thier tax-free status, Ruben. But not b/c of this issue. Or maybe this issue plus about a hundred more.
Seriously though, no amount of laws, law enforcement, walls, fences or razorwire is going to stop people from jumping the border as long as staying in Mexico means that thier families will starve.
Thus as long as we continue to refuse to address the root causes of this problem, someone (churches or otherwise) is needed to keep watch on the potential humanitarian crisis.
All churches should lose there tax free stat
they are nothing more then extremist that hurt
our children and people that are not like them now they wont to force us to obey there fake religion that has killed many good people in the middle east and around the world they should abide by Our laws of leave this country
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