Catholic immigration advocates head to Hill to push for reform bill

Published: 2007-04-19

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A workable comprehensive immigration reform bill on the table, more sympathetic leadership in Congress and a "this year or maybe never" incentive are prodding immigration advocates to action. After a day and a half of briefings and strategizing with advocates who work on immigration every day, activists from more than 66 dioceses took their campaign for immigration reform to Capitol Hill April 19. "It is terrifying, the prospect of a bad bill or no bill happening, considering the number of people who are involved in this," said Frank Sharry, director of the National Immigration Forum. Sharry was keynote speaker for the April 17-19 Justice for Immigrants national gathering organized by the U.S. Catholic bishops' migration awareness campaign of the same name. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he plans to bring immigration legislation to the floor for debate and a vote the last two weeks of May. As of mid-April, there was no Senate legislation in the mix, but a House bill, H.R. 1645, had the backing -- at least as a starting point -- of many in a vast coalition of business, agriculture, union, civil rights, ethnic and religious organizations. It is called the Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act, or STRIVE Act.

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