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The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who last week marked a national week of prayer and education on immigration issues, hope the new Trump administration will work with them on comprehensive immigration reform.

"We especially are very much concerned about keeping families together, and at the same time realizing, yes, that there is an importance to respect the laws of this nation as well as to provide security on the borders but never to lose that human face of the reality of what is going on," Bishop Joe Vasquez of Austin, Texas, said. "We're hoping the new administration will work with us to create equitable laws, keeping in mind the dignity of human refugees."

Vasquez, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Migration, spoke to media on a conference call Jan. 12.

The bishops' conference observed National Migration Week Jan. 8-14 to raise awareness of how immigrants and refugees have contributed to the Catholic church, and the difficulties they, along with children and victims and survivors of human trafficking, face daily.

The bishops have not taken a formal stance on President Donald Trump's proposed border wall. Vasquez said the bishops are currently more concerned about supporting legislation that would continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which would allow qualified undocumented individuals who immigrated to the United States as minors to defer deployment for a period of two years.

At a prayer service three nights after the election, Archbishop Jos Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the bishops' conference, gave a homily about increasing uncertainty and fear among immigrants in the United States. During a teleconference with journalists on Jan. 12, Gomez said he thinks that fear still exists today.

"That's why this National Migration Week is so important," Gomez said. "I know that many dioceses have been present for their people, and I think that the conference of bishops can be present for the people and give the sense of peace and we are together."

This year's theme for National Migration Week was "Creating a Culture of Encounter," in reference to Pope Francis stressing the significance of encounter in Christianity in his first homily for Pentecost as pope in 2013: "For me, this word is very important. Encounter with others. Why? Because faith is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do what Jesus does: encounter others."

The U.S. bishops' website says migrants are not treated as fellow children of God worthy of support like they should.

Vasquez thinks National Migration Week is a great opportunity to highlight Matthew 25:35-40: " 'For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' "

In addition to establishing communication within the incoming administration, the bishops are looking to engage at the local and state levels by working with local communities and dioceses. The conference has also been working to build coalitions on border control with other faith-based communities, including Jewish and Muslim groups.

"Violence, gang, warfare and some of them are also survivors of human trafficking. It's important that we hear those voices," Vasquez said. "These are people; they have real realities that are going on in their lives. It's important to see them not as problems but as persons. We have to have a heart of compassion to be willing to help strangers."

According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, among the 65.3 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, 21.3 million of them are refugees, half of whom are under the age of 18. Approximately 34,000 people are forcibly displaced every day. Twelve percent of those displaced people settle in the Americas.

[Shireen Korkzan is an NCR Bertelsen intern. Her email address is skorkazn@ncronline.org.]

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US bishops hope to work with Trump administration on immigration ... - National Catholic Reporter

Idaho dairy producers are gathering signatures on a petition to hasten federal legislation for an effective visa program for dairy workers.

The Idaho Dairymens Association is asking people to sign a petition to bring congressional attention to farm labor shortages and the need for immigration reform.

The organization is hoping for at least 10,000 signatures by Feb. 3.

The purpose is obvious (and) the new administration made the need for immigration reform one of their platform issues, said Bob Naerebout, IDA executive director.

Dairymen want to make sure Idahos delegation understands the importance of immigration reform, he said.

There is currently no visa program to bring immigrant labor to Idaho for year-round employment, and the states low unemployment rate is keeping the available labor pool extremely tight, he said.

The damaging effects of labor shortages are being felt in the dairy industry and elsewhere in Idaho and inhibiting economic growth, he said.

The lack of labor is hampering investment in Idahos businesses and slowing growth in the state, resulting in missed opportunities for existing and new companies, he said.

Idaho cant continue to be prosperous without immigration reform. Idaho is an agricultural state and dependent on foreign-born labor, he said.

The petition cites a massive shortage of workers for dairy farms in Idaho, the critical need for a consistent, legal workforce for efficient operation of dairies and the lack of a farmworker visa program for dairies.

It states: We, the dairy producers of Idaho and supporters of the dairy industry in our state, respectfully request that the members of our congressional delegation work with other members of Congress and the new administration to develop and implement federal legislation that includes an effective visa program for dairy farmworkers as soon as possible.

Such a program would include legal status for the current experienced workforce; access to year-round workers; and an effective program for legal new workers when they are needed in the future.

The petition began with a dairy producer from the Treasure Valley who is frustrated with his lack of ability to find labor. He asked IDA to assist with getting signatures, Naerebout said.

Were getting a pretty strong response right now, especially electronically, he said.

Online

The petition is available at: http://www.idahodairymens.org

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Dairy organization petitions for immigration reform - Capital Press

Donald J. Trump won the White House in part based on his castigation of undocumented immigrants. With his inauguration Friday, and with hisfirst executive actions expected as soon as Fridayafternoon,some of those words are about to become deeds. Judging from the early details offered by his transition team, there is much here to be worried about. And internal contradictions among some of the emerging details suggest the incoming administration has not spent sufficient time thinking through itsapproach to illegal immigrationand the fresh problems itssolutions will likely create.

For instance, Trump has said he wants to work something out to help the so-called Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought here as minors. But one of the first things hes expected to do is cancel President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, under which 750,000 of themreceived two-year reprieves from deportation and permission to work. Canceling DACA would exposehundreds of thousands of those young peopleto deportation and denythem the work permits they may need to survive here.

Trump also is expected to resume work-site raids and jail visits by immigration agentsto find the undocumented immigrants,but that would take a significant increase in manpower as well as facilities in which to hold the detainees, most of whom would have the right to a hearing before they are kicked out of the country.With only 40,000 beds budgeted for, how will the administration handle the logistics especially when Trump has also pledged to roundup the estimated 800,000 people against whom deportation orders have already been issued?

And then theres the wall. The Trump administration may try to use existing funds already budgeted for Border Patrol infrastructure to start construction of the wall on the Mexican border, hoping to recoup the costs later from Mexico. Estimates put the cost of the wall as high as $38 billion, but like so much else Trump has talked about, the lack of specifics makes estimates iffy. And if Mexico refuses to pay, as its top officials have said repeatedly they will do, Trump says hell get the money through a tax on remittances sent bypeople livinghere to theirfamilies back in Mexico. But those remittances total onlyabout $24 billion a year, andabout half of itcomes from the very people Trump says hell be kicking out.

This is foolishness. If Trump really tries to fulfillhis promise to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., itwould cause significant harm to families and communities, drive those here illegally further underground (goodbye, traceable remittances)and probably harmthe sectors of the economy, such as construction and agriculture, in which the undocumented work. The only reasonable path forward is for Trump to work with Congress on comprehensive immigration reform that deals with the presence of undocumented immigrants including a path to legalization for those who deserve it.

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Despite promising to crack down on the undocumented, Trump clearly hasn't thought through his immigration plans - Los Angeles Times

Washington, D.C. The upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump has raised questions about the future of immigration reform, but the nations Catholic bishops remain hopeful.

We also find it important that we engage the present incoming administration, Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, said Jan. 12. We think it is highly important that we as bishops make known what is taking place in our country and how to address those possibilities.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, the U.S. bishops conference president, even voiced confidence.

I actually think this may be a very good time to pursue all the goals that weve had all along, DiNardo said. This is a new moment, with a new Congress, a new administration. And therefore we should up our expectations and move very carefully, but clearly, on comprehensive immigration reform.

Leading U.S. bishops and bishops conference officials spoke with reporters Jan. 12 to mark National Migration Week, a nearly 50-year-old celebration that encourages the Church to reflect on the situations facing immigrants, refugees, children, and victims of human trafficking.

President-elect Trump, who takes office next week, campaigned on several strong anti-immigration policies, including talk of deportation, strict enforcement of immigration law and a famous promise to build a wall on the Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it.

Vasquez said that the rhetoric of wall-building is not the place where wed want to start our conversation on immigration.

He said the bishops advocated humane policy and laws that take into consideration the need to keep families together and to help those who have come to the U.S. at a young age.

DiNardo said the bishops concerns focus on immigration reform.

As of right now, we havent (discussed) too much on the wall situation, he said, voicing greater concern for the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, President Barack Obamas executive action which allowed millions of immigrants who met certain standards to stay in the U.S. The program especially benefitted those who had arrived in the U.S. without documentation while being under age 18.

Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the bishops conference, said the conference is trying to have a conversation with Trumps transition team.

Obviously we continue to help our elected officials to understand the issue, he said, noting there are many challenges regarding immigration.

But I hope that we are going to make progress this year, he continued. Immigration reform is about people. Its not about politics, its about fathers and mothers and children and brothers and sisters.

Ashley Feasely, policy director of the U.S. bishops Migration and Refugee Services, also reflected on upcoming priorities.

There are many still in Congress who believe that immigration reform is a possibility, she said. And I think there are individuals in the incoming White House who are interested in seeing reform. I think its important that we continue to engage at the state and local level, with Congress, and the new administration to show the need to reform our broken system.

For Vasquez, National Migration Week is a chance to highlight Catholics mission to welcome newcomers.

In Matthew 25, Jesus specifically says, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, he said. Those words are applied to our immigrants. Jesus identifies with them completely.

He noted that many migrants leave difficult situations including violence and gang warfare. Some have survived human trafficking.

Its important that we see them not as problems, but as persons, he said.

Gomez reflected on Pope Franciss message for National Migration Week.

He reminds us of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and that she is our mother, and that we should not be afraid, because we are not alone, the archbishop said. It was a beautiful message of hope. I feel that is what we need right now. More hope for the future.

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Bishops remain hopeful on immigration reform in a Trump presidency - Crux: Covering all things Catholic

Americans satisfaction with immigration levels is at its highest point in more than a decade, but more than a third would prefer fewer immigrants coming into the country, a Gallup poll released Wednesday indicated.

Immigration has been a hot-button issue, with Congress wrangling over reforms for more than a decade and the incoming administration threatening to undue President Barack Obamas executive orders protecting millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.

There were 42.4 million immigrants in the United States, about 13.3 percent of the total U.S. population of 318.9 million in 2014, up 2.5 percent on the previous year. Some 1.3 million foreign-born individuals moved to the United States in 2014, up 11 percent from 2013, with the greatest percentage coming from India (147,500), followed by China (131,800), Mexico (130,000), Canada (41,200) and the Philippines (40,500).

From 1860 to 1920, immigrants made up 13 to nearly 15 percent of the population, peaking at 14.8 percent in 1890.

A record high 41 percent of those queried said they are satisfied with current immigration levels, compared with 38 percent in 2014 and 23 percent in 2018. Yet 53 percent of those asked said they are dissatisfied: 36 percent saying they want less immigration, 5 percent saying they want more and 12 percent saying they are unhappy but dont want levels changed.

Dissatisfaction/satisfaction varied among political affiliation with 65 percent of Democrats saying they are satisfied and 62 percent of Republicans saying they are dissatisfied and want less.

Twenty-three percent of conservatives, 45 percent of moderates and 60 percent of liberals said they were satisfied with immigration levels. A majority of conservatives (56 percent) said they wanted less immigration compared with 30 percent of moderates and 15 percent of liberals.

White Americans were more likely to be dissatisfied with immigration levels (58 percent) than their nonwhite counterparts (52 percent), with 44 percent of whites saying they would like to see less immigration compared with 18 percent of nonwhites.

More than a third of Americans want immigration levels reduced, a Gallup poll indicated. Above, People to rally at the 'We're Here to Stay' immigration event at the Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, Jan. 14, 2017. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico to stem the flow of undocumented immigrants. Trumps election campaign website featured the view efforts should be focused on legal immigration controls to make sure American citizens get the first crack at jobs. He initially promised to depart the estimated 11 million people in the United States illegally but later modified that promise to focus on those who have committed crimes.

An earlier Gallup poll indicated 66 percent of Americans are opposed to building a border wall, 84 percent favor allowing immigrants in the U.S. illegally the chance to become U.S. citizens, and 66 percent oppose deporting them to their home country.

Mondays survey was part of Gallups Mood of the Nation poll. It was conducted Jan. 4-8 among 1,032 U.S. adults. The poll had a 4 percentage point margin of error and 95 percent confidence level.

Link:
Immigration Reform 2017: As Donald Trump Starts Term, Is The Number Of Immigrants Entering The USA Growing? - International Business Times