Helping the poor won’t make you a criminal after all.
The Senate today adopted an amendment that exempts charities, churches, and individuals from criminal prosecution when assisting undocument immigrants. This is part of the immigrant reform bills working their way through Congress.
The Catholic Church has been on the forefront of opposing these measures that would criminalize helping illegal immigrants, and rightfully so. Here in Houston, Casa Juan Diego helps immigrants with shelter and food. Our duty to help the less fortunate should not depend on proper paperwork.
Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony has said he would instruct members of his diocese to ignore the law, and continue to help immigrants without asking for documentation, if the law passed. He wrote an op-ed piece in the NY Times on this issue last week, after making news with this announcement last month.
It’s nice to the church taking a strong stand on this issue. Too often, politicians are given a free pass from the church on causes of the social justice and helping the needy.
