Sunday, April 09, 2006

It ain't over yet

Congress headed home without passing any legislation to solve the issue of immigration. If you see one of your representatives on the street, you might want to ask them about the issue. Here are some resources, with more to follow in the next few days.

Over in Rochester, Bishop Matthew H. Clark calls for a humane immigrant bill, here.

And at Salt of the Earth, published by the Claretians, you can find this appeal from Mexican bishops for just US immigration laws:
For their part the Mexican Bishops said the Catholic Church in Mexico will continue to foster serious and respectful dialogue: "We cannot shirk our responsibility to promote structural reform so Mexicans may find basic conditions for a worthy lifestyle in their own country whatever profession they choose."

Finally, author Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez writes this in today's Washington Post:
Used to write for the Boston Globe and L.A. Times. Quit to be a novelist out of frustration with the media's incompetent reporting about Hispanics and immigration. In the spirit of helping people overcome the misinformation they often read, I offer the following cheat sheet:

1 The words "immigrant" and "Hispanic" are not synonymous. The majority of Hispanics in the United States are not immigrants. According to 2004 census data, 60 percent of the more than 40 million Hispanics in this country were born here. Of the 40 percent who were born elsewhere, the majority are legal immigrants, not illegal.