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Immigration Reform

The Catholic Public Policy Commission calls for comprehensive Immigration reform. Broad immigration reform legislation is needed that puts the undocumented and their families on the path to lawful residence and citizenship and creates greater legal avenues for necessary workers to enter in to the United States in the future.

The Catholic Public Policy Commission and the Catholic Charities agencies in the state of Tennessee are committed to working in solidarity with migrants and newcomers to develop a comprehensive solution that creates immigrant policies that work for all people. The history of our faith community has been as an immigrant church in an immigrant nation. The church has created or adapted many of its ministries through out history to meet the needs of the immigrant population. The biblical experience of migration has taught us to empathize with immigrants. Jesus himself was a migrant in that he and his family were displaced at the time of his birth. We have been taught by Him to look for Him in the faces of the migrants and welcome guests in our country and state.

The Catholic Public Policy Commission calls for comprehensive Immigration reform. Broad immigration reform legislation is needed that puts the undocumented and their families on the path to lawful residence and citizenship and creates greater legal avenues for necessary workers to enter in to the United States in the future. The particular issues that must be addressed include:

Work place justice: Many of the immigrants who come to our state are placed in difficult work situations in that they are underpaid, unsafe, and overworked. The state of Tennessee has a great history of strict Title VI compliance, it seems that this type of support for workers should be extended to all people working in our state. The Catholic Public Policy Commission endorses legislation that prevents unsafe and unjust working conditions for all new comers to our state.

Marriage: The ability to marry is a significant issue for many immigrants in our state. The Catholic Public Policy Commission supports the removal of obstacles to legal marriage for all people in our state.

Education: Educational and language deficiencies cause barriers for immigrants in our state. The Catholic Public Policy Commission endorses an increase in funding to allow for the availability of English proficiency classes in the public school system (ELL).

Driver Certification: The ability to drive is a significant aspect for the residents of our state. The Catholic Public Policy Commission endorses the strengthening of the Driver Certificate program. We call for legislators to not consider the elimination of this program.

The Catholic Public Policy Commission strongly endorses these issues while calling for a broad immigration reform that welcomes and promotes success for newcomers that improves economic prospects, health, labor protections and stability.

Rev. 01/07