You shall not molest or oppress an alien , for you yourselves were once aliens in the land of Egypt.
These words are ancient, but we proclaim them today because the Word of the Lord is eternal.
I start with these words because what is happening in this country is a tragedy. In one State, for example, they passed a law that is creating a real crisis for parents. In this State, the parents of Hispanic students are not letting their children go to school because they are afraid that the teachers will be acting as immigration agents. This is because this law states that teachers must check the immigration status of the students in their school, as well as the status of their parents.
The Courts did block that portion of the law from going into effect, but the damage has already been done.
Many Hispanics are leaving the state because they do not want to go through the humiliation of being arrested and deported back to their countries. They also fear that the law will break families apart, deporting some but allowing others to stay.
Many Hispanics in this country are being oppressed by these laws, and it is wrong. It is a shame. The way some of these people are being treated violates the law of Love that Jesus teaches us in today’s Gospel.
Many of the immigration laws in this country are too harsh. The entire system is broken. Children should not have to fear having their parents taking from them. These immigrants are God’s children, and they have rights as human beings.
Recently, the Bishops of Michigan have written a statement in support of the rights of immigrants. This statement says that the Michigan legislature should:
"Uphold the human dignity of all persons and work against any injustice which would compromise the dignity of immigrants; Promote and give priority to the reunification of families; Recognize the rich contribution to the community by those immigrants and migrants who work and live here."
According to the bishops’ statement:
“The federal government has the responsibility to enact and enforce laws that treat migrant peoples with the same dignity as its native-born citizens. As such, there must be a concerted effort to find a pathway toward citizenship for undocumented persons who live here, who work here, have raised a family here and have contributed to the common good.”
We must pray and offer our support for our brothers and sisters who are here and who lack legal status. We must do what we can to demand that our legislators pass laws that uphold the dignity of all persons and for laws that allow people to live and work here legally and without fear.
That is our hope and our prayer today.
