(Immigration) Bill could prohibit churches from helping immigrants

[rainbow4321]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/122905dnteximmigbill.21e16349.html

Pastors in Texas and elsewhere are worried that a bill that just passed in the U.S. House of Representatives might make it illegal for churches to help some of the poor.

Some who help with faith-based charity work are telling Congress they'd be willing to break new laws set forth in the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 to continue their efforts.

The bill bars anyone from helping someone stay in the United States. If that person is an illegal immigrant, immigration experts have warned the Lutheran church that even lending a wheelchair could be a violation.

<snip>

"My first thought was, 'well, if this were to become law, you know they might as well come and lock us up and bring the force of the legal system to bear on us, because we will continue to do this,'" Rev. Peterson said.

Full text of bill:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h4437eh.txt.pdf

[Trillo]

1. After taking government "faith-based" funding, what did anyone

with a living brain cell think? Government regulation? Strings attached to funding? etc.

Faith-based funding, even if only for charitable purposes, was a First Amendment frontal assault.

[flordehinojos]

3. you are absolutely right.

but not only was it a frontal assault on First Amendment rights...it was also a way for bush to dislodge himself from some of the responsibilities of government towards its programs for the poor, elderly, sick, infirmed and needy.

[Bridget Burke]

11. These churches have NOT received government money.

Their "faith based" charity is the same kind they've been doing all along.

(Matthew) 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

[noamnety]

24. Do you have a link for that?

Specifically, a link showing that they haven't received any government money?

[Terran]

19. ignorant statement

Only a tiny minority of faith-based agencies receive any federal funding, despite the admin's push to increase this number. There are thousands and thousands of churches in this country that never apply for federal money.

[flordehinojos]

2. is there anything that these freaking republicans care about, other than

about greed, oil, power, control and war?

[Moderator]

4. kick

[Thom Little]

5. Bill on Illegal-Immigrant Aid Draws Fire (would make charity a fed. crime)

Churches, social service agencies and immigration groups across the country are rallying against a provision in the recently passed House border-security bill that would make it a federal crime to offer services or assistance to illegal immigrants.

The measure would broaden the nation's immigrant-smuggling law so that people who assist or shield illegal immigrants would be subject to prosecution. Offenders, who might include priests, nurses or social workers, could face up to five years in prison. The proposal would also allow the authorities to seize some assets of those convicted of such a crime.

.......

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has written to members of Congress and called on President Bush to oppose the measure publicly. In Manhattan, scores of immigrants demonstrated against the bill last week. Here in the Washington area, a coalition of immigrant-services groups is planning rallies, visits to members of Congress and a letter-writing campaign to try to prevent the immigration bill from becoming law.

.......

"Current legislation does not require humanitarian groups to ascertain the legal status of an individual prior to providing assistance," Bishop Barnes wrote this month in a letter to Congress. "The legislation would place parish, diocesan and social service program staff at risk of criminal prosecution simply for performing their jobs."



http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/30/politics/30immig.html

[aquart]

6. Outlawing Christian charity?

Does the parable of the good Samaritan mean nothing to these apostates?

[Democat]

7. Jesus Christ called US enemy by the right wing? They want him in jail?

You cannot help the poor under Republican rules?

[acmavm]

8. The whole damn government is so out of control it's like an episode of

the Twilight Zone. This is just crazy. Putting people in jail for doing what is right?

So, where the hell is their much talked about but rarely seen Christian compassion in all this???????

[ChrisK]

9. I guess we'll have to remove that sign at the Statue of Liberty too.

Maybe we can change it to "Don't give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses or you'll go to jail"?

[saigon68]

10. LOL

[Vidar]

12. Republican war on churches, but Chrismas ok'd as profitable.

[ckramer]

13. Republicans are insane

Why don't they think about how to fix the border first?

[banana republican]

14. Lutheran churches Do *NOT* take "faith based $$$"

There are however some Lutheran Non-profit organizations which do. Those organizations however are staffed by professionaals not wing nuts.

Lutheran Social Services (Family counseling)
Lutheran Compass Centers (Homeless services)

[closeupready]

15. Doesn't that provision violate the freedom of association provisions

of the Constitution? Seems like it does.

[sadiesworld]

16. Go after the employers...

that's all they need to do. The rest of this is simply propaganda pushed in an attempt to SO thoroughly divide their constituents as to make any immigration law enforcement repugnant. Then they can go back to what they do best--sucking up to cheap-labor-loving big bidness.

[anotherdrew]

17. always punish the little guys, not the ones who hire them

each and EVERY republican can go straight to HELL.

[cmd]

18. Bless you, Rev. Peterson

Thank you for continuing to care for the sick and poor.

[LiberalFighter]

20. But okay to give a wheelchair to that same person if he was in own country

[Hobarticus]

21. Boy, shredding seperation of church and state goes both ways!

I'd laugh out loud, if this wasn't so ridiculous and cruel-hearted.

[Maestro]

22. Let's all dissassociate from the World community

and build huge walls around us. Pat Buchanan I am sure is proud as his Tom, scumbag, Tancredo. I work with immigrants on a daily basis. They are not ruining this country. This bill is asinine. Go after cheap labor conservatives and the * cabal.

[Megahurtz]

23. That's pretty sick. n/t