Province News

Immigration Debate Must Avoid False Choice
March 27, 2006

Jesuit Conference supports a guest worker program leading to earned citizenship

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2006 – With emotions running high in the debate over immigration reform and both sides becoming more polarized, people of faith may feel torn by an apparent choice between national security and the call of Jesus to welcome the stranger. For the Jesuit Conference of the United States, combining a guest worker program with a path to earned citizenship for current undocumented migrants as well as future migrants achieves both security and a humane immigration policy.

“It’s a false choice, because America can secure its borders in a way that protects our labor force and promotes human rights by bringing 12 million people out of the shadows,” according to Rev. James R. Stormes, SJ, secretary for social and international ministries at the Jesuit Conference. The Jesuit Conference joins the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in encouraging the Senate Judiciary Committee to approve legislation next week that includes a guest worker program for 480,000 visas annually – adjustable to labor demands – and a provision that provides guest workers a path to citizenship after a period of employment.

“These provisions should also apply to undocumented workers already living among us laboring to harvest our food and build our homes,” Stormes asserts. However, those workers would not be allowed to jump in line ahead of persons already seeking citizenship and/or visas. Not a policy of amnesty or open borders, the program would be a compromise between two bills, S. 1033 proposed by Senators McCain (R-AZ) and Kennedy (D-MA) and S.1438 proposed by Senators Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyl (R-AZ).

“It achieves enforcement by regulating our border while recognizing these workers are contributing to our economic growth and thus deserve an opportunity to earn citizenship,” says Stormes. The path to citizenship is not automatic. The program calls for payment of fines and back taxes, background checks, and study of civics and English. “Once out of committee next week, the vote on the Senate floor is likely to be close – decided by a handful of votes,” adds Stormes, “so it’s important our Senators hear from us.”