AMERICA - Respective Catholic Bishops call on governments of USA and Mexico to “work together to put an end to suffering experienced by emigrants of both countries ”

San Bernardino (Agenzia Fides) - In a joint statement the Emigration Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the United States and the Commission for pastoral of human mobility of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Mexico have expressed their opinion with regard to proposed migration law reforms presented to the US Congress. The statement was issued at the end of a meeting in San Bernardino, California, to define the position of the Church after the US Senate refused to pass a reform on migration. The Church in the United States is promoting integral migratory reform for about 12 million Latin Americans who live and work in the United States.
The statement urges the US government to "approve the proposed integral and just migratory reform as soon as possible", since the issue "affects the dignity, rights and lives of human beings". It recalls that emigrants "continue to suffer exploitation, abuse and even death, as they attempt to find work and provide for the upkeep of their families". Justice demands the rejection of an immoral status quo and a human reform of migratory law in the United States.
The statement calls on the government of Mexico "to adopt economic reforms to create jobs ” and assign proportioned salaries to non qualified Mexican workers so they will no longer have to choose between "living in poverty or taking the dangerous and expensive journey to the United States to find work”. They must be guaranteed the opportunity to provide for their families in their places of origin.
"Our governments - the statement says - must work together to put and end to the suffering experienced by emigrants in our countries". The Bishops conclude "the Catholic Church in the United States and Mexico will continue to defend the rights of emigrants in both”: “Continue a to fight until justice is done".
The president of the Emigration Commission of the US Bishops' Conference Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San Bernardino appealed to the US Senate to revise its position and consider integral reform of immigration laws in the US: “Our nation can wait no longer to solve this major humanitarian problem”. He said the Senate must improve legislation to "preserve family unity and guarantee a programme of legalisation which is feasible and fair". The Bishop said "The issue of immigration is too important for our legislators to overlook. We cannot wait for years. People are suffering and dying". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 18/6/2007; righe 33, parole 472)