Leaders of several California religious groups held a press conference earlier this week in San Rafael (near San Francisco) calling for an end of the recent wave of immigration raids, and empathy for the plight of undocumented immigrants:

“I don’t think the way they enforced the law is right, or just, or moral, or tolerable, especially for children,” said San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius Wang, who was born in Beijing.

“We all are immigrants some way or another, and why should we treat other immigrants as aliens?” he added. “If the government wants to secure the borders, it is right. But if they treat human beings inhumanly, it’s not right.”

The issue is becoming a big one in well-to-do San Rafael, where in recent months raids have escalated, as have dueling rallies both in support of and opposing the immigration crackdowns.

Reading a statement from northern California Catholic bishops and other Bay Area faith leaders, Bishop Wang said, “We stand with communities that seek justice for immigrants and, as in the past, we are prepared to organize for just immigration reform at local, state and especially the federal level.”

“We implore all people of good will to treat all those in our midst with dignity,” the statement added. “We call for an immediate temporary suspension of ICE raids. We ask that public officials … work toward a reasonable solution that will offer a path to citizenship to the 12 million immigrants who now live in the shadows.”

I’m certainly not a staunch supporter of the policies of the Catholic church, but they seem to always stand on the right (as in correct and humane) side of this issue.

Accompanying the Catholic representation at the event were leaders from the Episcopal and Jewish communities.

Via / Catholic.org

Image: L.A. Cardinal Mahoney with United Farm Workers members on Cesar Chavez Day – via L.A. Times Blog