By Archbishop José H. Gómez, OSV News
The military parade in the nation's capital on June 14 kicked off a series of events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, which will end with next year's grand celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The ideals expressed in the Declaration, not our military might, have always been what makes America great.
Ours is the first nation founded on principles rooted in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, the truth that all men and women are created equal, with God-given dignity and rights that no government can ever deny.
America's founders called these truths "self-evident." Over the years, the commitment of our leaders has made this nation a beacon of hope for those seeking freedom and refuge from oppression.
Based on these truths, this nation has become the most prosperous, the most diverse and one of the most hopeful, innovative and generous the world has ever seen.
But today our nation's historic commitment to these truths is under fire in the clashes over illegal immigration unfolding in Los Angeles and in cities across the country.
Here in Los Angeles, I have been deeply disturbed by reports of federal agents detaining people in public places, apparently without showing warrants or proof that those they are detaining are in the country illegally.
These actions are causing panic in our parishes and communities.
People stay at home without going to mass or work, parks and stores are empty, the streets of many neighborhoods are silent. Families stay locked up, out of fear.
This situation is not worthy of a great nation.
We can agree that the previous administration in Washington went too far in not securing our borders and allowing too many people into our country without prior verification.
However, the current administration has offered no immigration policy beyond the stated goal of deporting thousands of people every day.
This is not a policy, it is a punishment, and it can only have cruel and arbitrary consequences. We are already hearing stories of innocent fathers and mothers being unjustly deported, with no possibility of appeal.
A great nation can take the time and care to make distinctions and judge each case on its merits.
It is estimated that up to two-thirds of those in the country without documents have lived here for a decade or more. In the case of the so-called "Dreamers," brought here as children by undocumented parents, this is the only country they have ever known.
The vast majority of "illegal immigrants" are good neighbors, hardworking men and women, people of faith; they make important contributions to vital sectors of the U.S. economy: agriculture, construction, hospitality, health care and more. They are parents and grandparents, active in our communities, charities and churches.
A joint study released earlier this year by the U.S. Catholic bishops and several Protestant groups found that 1 in 12 Christians here are vulnerable to deportation or live with a family member who could be deported.
The last reform of our immigration laws occurred in 1986. That's two generations of negligence on the part of our political and business leaders. It is not fair to punish only ordinary workers for that negligence.
It is time to start a new national conversation about the immigrationThe first is one that is realistic and that makes the necessary moral and practical distinctions about those who are in our country illegally.
I want to suggest some initial proposals for this new conversation, based on the principles of Catholic social teaching, which recognizes the duty of nations to control their borders and respects the natural rights of individuals to migrate in search of a better life: first, we can agree that known terrorists and violent criminals should be deported, but in a manner that is consistent with our values, which respects their due process rights.
We can strengthen border security and use technology and other means to help employers verify the legal status of their employees.
We must reform legal immigration policies to ensure that our nation has the skilled workers it needs while continuing our historic commitment to bring families together through our immigration policy.
We must restore our moral commitments to provide asylum and protective status to genuine refugees and populations at risk.
Finally, and most importantly, we must find a way to legalize those who have been in our country for many years, starting with the "...who have been in our country for many years...".Dreamers".
These are not new ideas, but they are the beginning of a new conversation. And it's time for us to get back to dialogue and stop fighting in our streets.
Pray for me and I will pray for you. And let us ask our Blessed Mother Mary to pray for our country, that we may be renewed in our commitment to the truths that make America great.
