Chicago bishops call for support for national immigration campaign

Published: 2005-05-11

CHICAGO (CNS) -- The stories of many immigrants in the United States are heartbreaking. It is not unusual to hear about a pregnant mother being separated from her husband and children -- all U.S. citizens -- because of her undocumented status, or workers who have lived and worked in the United States for years being deported after a raid on their homes in the middle of the night. "Our immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed," said Chicago Auxiliary Bishop John R. Manz, a member of the U.S. bishops' migration committee at a May 9 press conference. "This broken system forces many immigrant families to be separated from loved ones for years, even decades. We, especially, need to change laws that separate families." For legal residents of the United States, it can take years for family members to get permission to join them. Bishop Manz and Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, himself an immigrant from Mexico, spoke in support of Justice for Immigrants, a national multiyear Catholic campaign designed to educate Americans, especially Catholics, about the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

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