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Guatemala City (Agenzia Fides) – The Pastoral Care of Migrants Committee of the Guatemalan Bishops' Conference expressed its firm rejection of the anti-immigrant law in the State of Arizona known as SB 1070 (see Fides 10/3/2010, 24/4/2010, 7/5/2010 ), presented on April 23 of this year and known as "the most shameful in the history of migration."
In a note sent to Fides, the Migrants Committee states very clearly that the law promotes "hatred, racism, and discrimination." This is a bill that "once again aims at criminalizing undocumented immigrants, especially those most vulnerable."
"We urgently need a comprehensive immigration reform in the United States of America, but in a humane and integral manner, which takes account family reunification and legalization of migration," says the text, which invites all people of good will to not remain silent and indifferent to the law in Arizona.
"Our responsibility as Christians is to not remain silent in the face of inhumane laws and policies that divide families and undermine human dignity," the text continues, recalling that the Fifteenth Regional Conference on immigration to be held in Tapachula , in Chiapas, Mexico, May 17-19, is the appropriate occasion for Central American governments to speak out against the criminalization of migrants and make an appeal for immigration reform to the U.S. government. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 05/18/2010)
