RAISE Act Will Weaken Family Bonds and Impact Nation’s Ability to Respond to Those in Crisis says U.S. Catholic Bishops Chairman
WASHINGTON—The
Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin and Chair of the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, says that the
newly proposed RAISE Act would cause our nation to turn its back on
those setting out to build better lives, weaken family bonds and impact
the nation’s ability to respond to those in crisis. Bishop Vásquez’s
full statement follows:
“I
express strong opposition to the RAISE Act, which was introduced today
in the U.S. Senate by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue
(R-GA). Had this discriminatory legislation been in place generations
ago, many of the very people who built and defended this nation would
have been excluded.
The
United States supports families and should not throw up obstacles to
their unity. Unfortunately, the RAISE Act would have our nation turn
its back on this long and storied tradition of welcoming families
setting out to build a better life.
The
RAISE Act would permanently cap the number of refugees allowed safe
passage, thereby denying our country the necessary flexibility to
respond to humanitarian crisis. As a Church, we believe the stronger the
bonds of family, the greater a person’s chance of succeeding in life.
The RAISE Act imposes a definition of family that would weaken those
bonds.
I urge
the Senate to reject this measure and implore Congress and the President
to work together in a bipartisan fashion to enact into law
comprehensive immigration reform. I believe that such reform must
recognize the many contributions that immigrants of all backgrounds have
made to our nation, and must protect the lives and dignity of all,
including the most vulnerable.”
—
Keywords:
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, RAISE Act, Bishop, U.S.
Senate, Senator Tom Cotton (RAR), David Perdue (R-GA), legislation,
families, refugees, safe passage, humanitarian crisis, Congress,
President, comprehensive immigration reform, bipartisanship, immigrants,
human dignity.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Judy Keane
202-541-3200
