Agricultural Personnel Management Program
University of California

WASHINGTON -- The Catholic bishops of the United States and Mexico issued an unprecedented joint pastoral letter on Friday urging immigration reforms that would legalize millions of undocumented workers of all national origins.

The bishops, whose churches serve 150 million Catholics and huge Hispanic communities on both sides of the border, hope to rekindle negotiations between the two nations and to press Congress for laws that would open pathways for the legal migration of laborers.

Their letter, which they called a "historic and unprecedented document in the history of the Catholic Church in North America," also called for more humane enforcement at the border, legal due process and basic human rights for those who are detained.

"Many who seek to migrate suffer inhuman conditions, and in too many cases die tragically trying to get here," said Thomas Wenski, auxiliary bishop of Miami and chairman of the migration committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "They are grossly exploited, both en route and once in the United States, and their human dignity is trampled. Families are kept apart. Racist and xenophobic attitudes remain far too common in this 'enlightened age.'

"It's almost like the United States is creating a new under-class by keeping millions of people undocumented, because without documents they are easily exploitable, they don't have full protection in the workplace or in the courtroom."

The vast amnesty program the bishops envision would extend well beyond the Southwest border areas to South Florida and other communities throughout the nation, and it would include migrants from the Caribbean Basin and all nations.

It would affect an undocumented workforce of roughly 5 million, about half from Mexico, the bishops said. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, roughly 1.2 million of the total work force are employed in agriculture, 1 million in manufacturing, 700,000 in restaurants and 600,000 in construction.

These workers are needed to help tend the nation's economy, the bishops asserted, pointing to growth in Florida, California and other communities where immigrants have flocked. A University of California at Los Angeles study cited by advocates of legalization estimates that undocumented immigrants contribute at least $300 billion a year to the U.S. economy.

The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service estimates Florida is home to 450,000 undocumented immigrants, giving it the fourth-highest such population in the nation.

Border security

In recent years, advocates of legalization in Florida and other states have mounted political and public-education campaigns to argue that undocumented immigrants work hard, contribute to the community and should have access to driver's licenses, in-state tuition rates for their children's college education and the protection of this country's labor laws.

"One thing we can say in South Florida is that immigration has not hurt us," Wenski said.

The bishops' recommendations face stiff resistance in Congress, where members are consumed with protecting the nation from foreign terrorists, shoring up border security and prodding the economy to create more jobs. Just two years ago during a booming economy, Congress was far more receptive to limited forms of amnesty while expanding foreign guest-worker programs to overcome labor shortages.

Resistance to amnesty

"This is an area of policy outside the competence of clergymen," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a research group that favors more restrictive immigration policies.

"Resistance to amnesty has been strong, and 9/11 reinforced the skepticism of a lot of people about programs to weaken immigration enforcement," Krikorian said. "What we're going to see is progressive tightening of immigration enforcement as the homeland security agency continues to gather steam and each initiative is implemented."

The White House appears conflicted and distracted.

President Bush came to office focused on the Western Hemisphere, on Mexico and on supplying farmers and ranchers with legal labor. He reached out to his old friend Mexican President Vicente Fox, and the two ranchers appeared close to reaching a major migration accord.

Bush wanted a tightly controlled guest-worker program. Fox wanted a broader agreement more in line with the bishops' recommendations. Their talks abruptly ceased when Bush's attention turned to the war on terrorism, Afghanistan and Iraq, leaving the Western Hemisphere on the back-burner and Fox frustrated.

Prospects for reform

All sides of the immigration debate will be listening for some reference to the issue in Bush's State of the Union message on Tuesday, which could signal whether the administration intends to pursue migration talks with Mexico.

While seeking support from the White House, immigration reformers are looking to the next election year in hopes it will create a political climate more receptive to their proposals.

"I think there are a lot of factors moving in the direction of comprehensive immigration reform," said Angela Kelley, deputy director of the National Immigration Forum, an advocacy group for immigrants. "What's clear is that the current system isn't working.

"I would imagine there will be a bill proposed in '03, with support of the labor community, the business community, the civil rights community. As we get closer to the '04 election, politicians will be watching how they are doing with the Latino community. I could see something begin to take shape soon before the 2004 election. It's a funny thing about how immigration legislation emerges and reaches fruition in an election year."

For the Catholic bishops, the pastoral letter was a bold new plunge into the politics surrounding immigration, a move prompted in part by the burgeoning numbers of immigrants who have flowed to churches north of the border.

"The bishops were finding themselves increasingly witness to the human suffering and even death due to failed government policies with regard to migration," said Mark Franken, executive director of migration and refugee services of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "They found a changing face within our own church that challenges us to be more welcoming as a people."

Local activists lent their voices Thursday to a national campaign to legalize undocumented immigrants.