Taking the Wrong Approach at Catholic Charities

There's a lot to the immigration debate, and there are varying opinions on some major elements of Immigration Reform. However, some of the actions of Waukesha's Catholic Charities office are simply misguided, at best.

Croal, an outreach worker with Catholic Charities in Waukesha, works with members of the Hispanic community - some of whom are illegal immigrants - helping connect them with employers, make sense of paperwork and even fill out employment forms.

This activity is simply wrong. It is no different from providing keys to someone else's car. In facilitating illegal employment, Catholic Charities is essentially becoming part of the underworld, breaking US law.

Villarreal [of La Casa Esperanza, NOT a Catholic agency] said he understands concerns about security, but said politicians shouldn't just focus on the Mexican border.

"It's important not to get confused. Terrorists are not going to be walking through the desert. They're going to be flying first-class. We learned that from 9-11," Villarreal said. "We definitely have to secure our borders, and we need to know who is here. I think that's very important."

Well, Mr. Villareal, that is simply wrong. Here's what David Aguilar, Chief of the Border Patrol, had to say about that:

The United States continues to experience a rising influx of nationals other than Mexicans (OTMs) illegally entering the country. OTM apprehensions totaled 165,175 for FY05, whereas FY 04’s number of OTM apprehensions was 75,389.

Aguilar's statement referred to Mexican border-crossings, by the way.

The rest of the JS article is your standard "heart-strings" stuff--the illegals are here, they have anchor babies, "What CAN we DO?" type of angst.

Well, from this Catholic, a suggestion: stop facilitating illegal work. Firmly and politely tell illegals to go home.

To do otherwise is immoral--and that's not "Catholic."