Group Started to Give Sanctuary to Illegal Immigrants
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AP, May 25, 2008
A group of faith-driven activists is trying to organize a network to help illegal immigrants who fear new local immigration-related laws and massive raids.
The advocates—all Catholic—hope to provide places to stay, food and health care for immigrants. They have a few families who have volunteered to host immigrants, but ultimately want to open a shelter.
If the project is successful, immigrants seeking sanctuary would simply need to ask for “Romo.”
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“We are the new Sanctuary Movement in San Antonio,” said group member Victor Ruiz, 63, who works for the immigration division of Catholic Charities. “If immigrants need help, we will do all we can to help them out.”
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Similarly, New Sanctuary Movement coalitions have formed nationwide to offer refuge to parents whose pending deportations would split them from their U.S.-born children.
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Authorities warn that while they support people acting on political and religious convictions, they can’t ignore the breaking of immigration laws against transporting or harboring unauthorized immigrants.
“I’d caution them that good intentions could make them criminally liable,” said Jerry Robinette, director of investigations for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Antonio. “They have to make the decision whether they want to violate the law or not.”
Even Archbishop Jose Gomez, who leads the Archdiocese of San Antonio, questioned the Romo group’s stance, saying sanctuary for immigrants historically has been a political statement and not only religious charity.
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(Posted on May 27, 2008)
Comments
Will Victor Ruiz help out Guatamalans or Jamaicans or Haitians or black Panamanians who want to live in Mexico? Will he find Catholic churches in Mexico who will offer them sanctuary?
This Catholic phony SOB is just that - a phony SOB. His intent is to use religion for his own political ends. Empower me and I’ll confiscate and sell any church or institution that breaks our immigration laws and do my best to deport those who break our laws. We need to deport illegals and give them condoms to quit having children that adds to overpopulation and overutilization of our natural resources.
Posted by Elrey Jones at 7:19 PM on May 27
Although I cannot condone this behavior by the church, I DO understand it. It’s one of the very, VERY few excuses I will accept from the pro-immigrant crowd. The idea that immigrants are “of us” based on shared religion. If they are tied to our communities because of shared faith, then they deserve the protection and succor of the church and certain amount of tolerance and “slack” in our communities.
Unfortunately, that is nothing more than a pipe dream. It’s not even close to the mindset of your typical immigrant. At best, they are here to exploit, even steal, from us. They care NOTHING for our community and do not recognize a shared bond to even the most basic degree. At worst, they are engaging in a form of unconventional warfare against us. As the “La Raza” crowd makes absolutely clear. They mean open war, the very second their numbers are high enough. Many of them think they are close to that critical mass and are acting on it…..indiscriminately murdering our citizens to force all non-mexicans to leave. The term for that is ethnic cleansing. And they are doing that in our country, RIGHT NOW.
It hurts me to say this but the church should be told that behavior simply won’t be allowed by them, or anyone else. No sanctuary. If the CC has a problem with that….tough.
Separation of church and state and all that.
Posted by at 7:58 PM on May 27
I have seen “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” I was very moved by it.
I have seen “Prince Caspian.” It was very intense, very heroic and intriguing.
However, these movies were dramatizations of the Christianity of the fantasy world of Clive Staples Lewis.
The Christianity of the real world is different. I am sad that this is so. I wish it were not so.
Concerning the Christianity of the Real World:
It seems to have no loyalty to the people who have broken their backs to build this country. It seems to have no concern for their safety or well-being. It seems to have no concern for the paltry pennies that they have sweated for. It seems to have no concern for their loved ones, loved ones that they have sacrificed for and would willingly die for. It seems to have no concern for so many of the things that are denied them, but seems to champion them for people who don’t even come here legally, such as medical care and higher education. It seems to have no concern for the very people who championed Christianity and enabled it to survive—namely, White Europeans.
My quandary:
If Christianity has been taken over, why did it fall so easily?
I thought “the gates of hell would not prevail against it.” So it gets taken over by a bunch of soft, communistic reality-deprived leftists? The Kingdom of God falls to hippies? To civil-rights marchers?
Conversely, if Christianity has not been taken over, then it gives us, the decent, hard-working, law-abiding peope—— the shaft. A shaft with a promise of eternal live for us and our loved ones, but a shaft, nevertheless.
Real Christians that champion US—are you there? Where are you?
Is there such a thing?
Posted by Garvin Alfred Schmaltz at 8:29 PM on May 27
While helping out an individual in immediate need is a Christian mandate, the Catholic Church and their splinter groups take things to the extreme. I am sure Mr. Gomez is playing the good cop on this one.
Illegals who come here know fully well what will happen if their crimes are exposed, yet somehow I am supposed to feel sorry for them when they are caught? They made their decisions. Live with it. Furthermore, a “US-Born” child may be the child of God, but not the child of Federal Law so spare me the rest of the usual drivel.
Victor Ruiz should be behind bars and waiting for PERMANENT deportation.
Posted by Jerry at 9:21 PM on May 27
Apparently, Catholic Church doesn’t think it inflicted enough damage to Western civilization by obstructing progress in science and imposing its political order on most of civilized world in Medieval Ages. Now, apparently they are trying to get back to the driver’s seat.
One needs to remember that one of the necessary precondition for emergence of free and successful country, the predominantly protestant U.S., was its total separation from the Catholic Church. As soon as the Catholic Church gains momentum in the U.S., one may expect trouble similar to those seen in Catholic countries like Mexico.
Posted by A Reader at 10:33 PM on May 27
Reader you are sadly ignorant of the accomplishments of the Catholic Church in the medieval ages. The Church actually preserved science and progress through the monks. Your commentary is so entirely without evidence. Many of the earliest settlers were in fact Catholic.
There are several books written about this subject. Try reading How the Catholic Curch built Western Civilization by Thomas Woods.
Posted by at 11:18 PM on May 27
Real Christians that champion US—are you there? Where are you?
Is there such a thing?
Posted by Garvin Alfred Schmaltz at 8:29 PM on May 27
Yes there is a real Christian who opposes the immivasion of the US, here is one of his columns:
http://vdare.com/baldwin/070530_amnesty.htm
Also, you need to remember that this the Catholic church we are dealing with here, it has a history of leftism.
Posted by Ronduck at 11:53 PM on May 27
The intolerably sanctimonious immigration enthusiasts of the Catholic Church — a collection of smug moral exhibitionists who would put their religious triumphalism over the survival of their country — are little short of traitors. Were I a Catholic, I would demand better leadership or instantly find myself a new church.
Posted by Seek at 1:02 AM on May 28
The catholic church in the US owes its loyality to American catholics who built the church here, not to foreigners. If the Catholic church was doing its duty, it would discourage illegal immigration to the US.
Posted by flyingtiger at 1:08 AM on May 28
Reader you are sadly ignorant of the accomplishments of the Catholic Church … [etc.]
The logic in your post reminds me of a claim that attributed scientific discoveries made by Russian scholars (some of them persecuted for political reasons by KGB) to … Soviet regime.
Well, if you can’t tell Catholics from the Catholic Church then there is not much I can do about it.
Also, I wonder if you counted Inquisition and the burning of “heretics” (like Giordano Bruno) among the “accomplishments” that you refer to.
I wonder if you remembered to include the fact that the Catholic Church never bothered to back our from the Reichskonkordat that it signed with 3rd Reich in 1933.
Now, they preach to Mexicans to not use any birth control and, after their growing population cannot be subsisted by the economy that they built, they encourage them to jump the American border and break our laws because they are “man made” only.
And if the Church was so good then why the situation was so bad that Martin Luther and his followers felt compelled to leave it?
The bottom line is that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It was only after Protestants had their way when the Western world managed to free itself from the Malthusian trap, and it didn’t happen in Catholic countries, either. Or you belong to the class of naives who believe that the fact that U.S. is a free, well functioning, and prosperous country while Mexico is not has nothing to do with religion? If you do then I recommend you read Max Weber’s work on the subject.
Posted by A Reader at 1:35 AM on May 28
Wouldn’t the asset forfeiture laws apply to any Church property used for criminal activities? I’d love to see the Church back down when a few cathedrals were seized and auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Posted by Schoolteacher at 2:27 AM on May 28
These activists are not being true to Catholic doctrine. The Church recognizes the sovereignty of all nations and the right of communities to preserve themselves. There can be no justification for their actions because the illegals have broken the law. And unless the Church officially takes the position that U.S. immigration laws are immoral and unnatural, then anyone who helps illegals circumvent the law is actually acting in bad faith.
Posted by Z at 6:09 AM on May 28
Chuck Baldwin is a pastor, and a patriot. He has an anti-immigration stance, and is running for president for the Constitution a party. A true American and Christian. Please take the time to learn more about him.
Posted by at 10:50 AM on May 28
“We are the new Sanctuary Movement in San Antonio,” said group member Victor Ruiz, 63, who works for the immigration division of Catholic Charities. “If immigrants need help, we will do all we can to help them out.”
In Mr. Ruiz’s mind there is no difference between legal and illegal, so naturally he feels free to break the law. Just as naturally, the police will feel free to trundle him off to LA’s overstuffed slammer - where he will have the opportunity to meet and help vast numbers of “immigrants.”
Posted by Gary at 12:39 PM on May 28
Christianity has been corrupted by the same marxist hogwash that is trying hard to destroy the United States of America…you can read all about it….it is called Christian Socialism invented by the Catholic Church….that’s why they are at the fore front on this illegal immigration non-sense because it is big business to a lot of these so-called do-gooders at the expense of hardworking, law abiding taxpayers!
The same Christian socialism that created the monsters like Jeremiah Wright and his co-horts who blast the United States every chance they get….it is a concerted effort to destroy what stands in their utopian world view. This is plain and simple totalitarianism disguised as altruism….(sic)
It has nothing to do with God or the teachings of the Christ…it’s all about power and control wanting to take us back to the dark ages.
Posted by Lisette at 1:58 PM on May 28
Let’s see:
We have has 43 straight years of Protestant Presidents since the Immigration Act of 1965 but the readers want to blame the Catholic Church.
Our next President (McCain, Obama, and Clinton) will also be non-Catholic. Do you think they will do anything about immigration?
The Catholic Church, what a safe target to go after.
Posted by Dennis at 4:10 PM on May 28
“Real Christians that champion US—are you there? Where are you?”
Yes, we are out here. I continue to reject the notion that Christianity requires racial suicide or an indifference to white survival and rights.
As a Catholic, I will say that helping ease the suffering of immigrants awaiting deportation would be Christian and charitable. For example, offering them food, shelter or medical care if they are in need.
On the other hand, sheltering them from deportation is TREASON.
As a Catholic, I apologize for this conduct on behalf of my co-religionists. Please do not lump us all in with the radicals.
Posted by sofita at 5:11 PM on May 28
Catholic Church needs to be prosecuted for immigration violations. It has been undermining USA immigration laws for a century. It uses our kindness and religious tax advantages to change USA into a majority Catholic nation. Rligions are abusing and using their special status to undermind USA laws and some are acting as fronts for “other interestts” Time has run out for those who are breaking USA laws. Those who are aiding and abbetting illegal aliens need to PAY THE BILL. The laws on the books for harboring aliens is part of USA National Security and has been underminded by millions of previous immigrants who perpetuate violations of laws for their own personal interests. V
Posted by at 5:43 PM on May 28
Please do not lump us all in with the radicals.
Posted by sofita at 5:11 PM on May 28
No, we don’t. I for one see quite a dramatic difference between the Catholics and the Catholic church.
The problem is that, except, perhaps, in the case of Tele-Evangelists, the Protestants are to a much lesser extent submitted to a control by church hierarchy, if any, than Catholics are. In other words, Protestant churches are more or less what the (individual) Protestants want them to be, while the Catholics are mostly shaped by the Catholic Church.
Posted by A Reader at 5:57 AM on May 29
We have has 43 straight years of Protestant Presidents since the Immigration Act of 1965 but the readers want to blame the Catholic Church.
Our next President (McCain, Obama, and Clinton) will also be non-Catholic. Do you think they will do anything about immigration?
The Catholic Church, what a safe target to go after.
Posted by Dennis at 4:10 PM on May 28
This is logically invalid argument. Whatever the protestant president did in this matter was not representative of, or contrary to, the will of the Protestant majority. In a sense, they acted as “Lenin’s useful idiots” of globalist forces, the Catholic Church being one of them, that were stronger that they were.
So, as much as the conclusion that the Catholic Church is not the only one politically coherent group around that tries to make inroads into American political system of power, the conclusion that the Church should therefore be absolved for their push to circumvent our boders and the immigration laws doesn’t follow.
To make the story easied for Dennis, the mere fact that Jhon, and Garry, and Jane, and Mary steal does not let thief Jack of the hook in the court of law.
Posted by A Reader at 6:09 AM on May 29
6. The Rev. Bob Vitaglione, a priest at St. Joseph’s Catholic church, in Brooklyn, NY, where he delivers prayers at his daily Masses in Haitian-Creole, Italian and Spanish. For 22 years he has helped ‘criminal aliens’ fight for a second chance … ” ‘Father Bob’ believes that: “No one should be left alone in our society, undefended. Otherwise we drift backwards to fascism - easily … We spilled a lot of blood in World War II to put and end to that.” And, speaking about the latest human tsunami wave of illegal aliens overrunning New York, Father Bob calls their ordeals “‘legalized, sanitized equivalent of the slave of 1857’ since they often shoulder menial jobs and long hours.” Oh, I guess no one but those illegals do those menial jobs with long hours. What nonsense!(48)
Father Bob also believes that: “Our democracy only works if the worst have somebody to speak up for them - or the fascists will be licking their chops.” Father Bob needs to understand that he is breaking federal immigration laws to ‘aid and abet’ illegal aliens. Father Bob also needs to understand that a democracy only works if its citizens obey the laws of that democracy. Father Bob ‘fobs off’ any criticism of his ‘aiding and abetting’ illegal aliens by pointing to the heavens and saying: “Take it up with the head of the firm.” Again we find that the priests of the Catholic Church believe that they are above the law and are bound only by what they consider God’s law … and yet he speaks of a democracy. Does he not know that we are a republic that is based on laws? Again what nonsense!(48)
http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/288/9118
In 2002 I have been affected by this crime. The holier than thou father Bob used my information and listed me as a criminal for his own personal gain and created the opportunity for people who use the might of the government to further their political agenda to tamper with my case. It was a deliberate attempt to silence the truth about liberal tyranny in the Netherlands. I thank God for the United States of America because the Courts will hear the case. They are mighty but not almighty!
Posted by Lisette at 9:14 AM on May 29
But doesn’t protestant church groups also aid immigrants? And isn’t the ADL the most pro-multicultural group around? Then there’s the ACLU, who are really just closet marxists. Finally don’t forget Pat Buchanun, a devout catholic and sincere American patriot!
Posted by AF at 1:56 PM on May 29
To Dennis,
I only said that if I were empowered that I’ll confiscate and sell any church or institution that breaks our immigration laws and do my best to deport those who break our laws. I’m not against the Catholic Church but I am for my country. There are many Protestant churches that I would also gladly confiscate and sell. What they are doing is unforgivable. We are a sovereign nation. If not, we’ll go down in flames with much internal warfare like every other nation that was conquered by foreigners did.
Posted by Elrey Jones at 5:31 PM on May 29