French Catholic bishops denounce proposed immigration reforms

Published: 2007-10-10

PARIS (CNS) -- France's Catholic bishops have denounced proposed immigration amendments that would allow the collection of ethnic data and introduce DNA testing for migrants seeking to join family members in the country. "Christians should refuse in principle to choose" between those migrants living illegally, or in secret, and those in the open, "or between citizens who carry papers and those without," the bishops said in a statement. "Whoever they are, they are our brothers and sisters in humanity." The Oct. 1 statement was published as lawmakers debated controversial amendments to France's 2006 immigration law. The bishops welcomed parliamentary opposition to the proposed use of genetic tests, saying they risked "a grave disregard for the sense of the person and the dignity of the family." During April 2006 talks with church leaders, now-President Nicolas Sarkozy, who campaigned for tighter curbs before his May election, promised to listen to the church's viewpoint, the bishops added.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .