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Atlanta (Agenzia Fides) - The Archbishop of Atlanta, in the North of Georgia, asked for the umpteenth time an integral reform of immigration. According to information sent to Fides Agency, His Exc. Mgr. Wilton Gregory while congratulating the Obama administration for offering work permits to some illegal immigrants and two years of suspension of deportation, said that however more be should done.
"For some, this program can be of help, but we must continue to support an integral reform, which creates opportunities for many more, especially for families and for those who are already living here, working for the benefit of this country - said Mgr. Gregory -. This is especially true today, as we have also seen by a record number of deportations and family separations over the past years. " The Archbishop spoke at the opening session of the conference entitled "Migration Policy and Advocacy in 2013 and Beyond: New Challenges and New Opportunities". The Archdiocese of Atlanta represents about 69 counties in North and Central Georgia, home to a million Catholics.
Sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic network on legal migration, the conference was held from December 3 to 5 in Atlanta, just as President Obama was trying to face the issue of immigration at the beginning of his second mandate. Polls showed that Obama collected most of the votes of Hispanics for his re-election. At the same time he was the subject of strong criticism on behalf of the same Hispanics for the record numbers of deportations during his administration and for not having reformed immigration laws of the Country. "The defense of immigrants is evangelization insofar as one shares the Gospel teachings on human dignity and the needs of others, many have yet to recognize these brothers and sisters in Christ," concluded Mgr. Gregory in his long speech. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 06/12/2012)
