MCC Opposes Anti-Immigration Bills

April 28, 2006, JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Missouri Catholic Conference Assistant Director Mike Hoey provided a written statement in opposition to SB 1250 and HB 1864 which seek to bar undocumented immigrants from access to higher education in Missouri, give new enforcement authority to the Highway Patrol and punish contractors who hire undocumented workers on public projects.

HB 1864, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nolte (R-Gladstone), prohibits the admission of unlawfully present aliens to public institutions of higher education. The bill provides that each institution shall certify to the General Assembly that the institution has not knowingly admitted any illegal alien before the approval of any state appropriations. Mr. Hoey pointed out to members of the General Assembly that HB 1864 was unnecessary as federal laws already prohibit colleges and universities from admitting illegal aliens. The colleges and universities already have procedures to ensure their students are legally in the country. Mr. Hoey also said, “There are children who have lived in this country for most of their lives, attended high school in Missouri and now wish to attend one of our universities. Legally, they may be ‘illegal aliens’ but they are also our fellow human beings.”

SB 1250, sponsored by Sen. Bill Alter (R-High Ridge) contains the same provisions as HB 1864 but includes other provisions punitive to immigrants. The bill also requires that any employer on a public project found to knowingly hire undocumented workers be banned from public contracts for three years. In addition, the bill allows all police officers to investigate, apprehend, or detain undocumented immigrants and transport them to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials across state lines if necessary. Also, officials at local jails would be required to try to verify that inmates charged with felonies are citizens or lawful U.S. residents. If residence cannot be verified, local jails would have to notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

HB 864 has passed the House and is scheduled to be heard on Monday, May 1 st, 2006 before the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 1250 passed the Senate and is scheduled to be heard before the House Special Committee on Immigration Reform Committee on Tuesday, May 2 nd, 2006

“The nationwide immigration debate has come home to Missouri with these two bills,” Hoey stated. “At present there are millions of individuals living in this country who are not legal residents but who work and pay taxes, raise families and contribute to their local communities. We need to remember that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were not legal residents of Egypt when they fled from Herod. Charity demands that we do better by the ‘strangers’ in our midst.”

To: Members of the Missouri Senate and House

From: Mike Hoey, Assistant Director

Re: State Policies relating to Immigrants – SB 1250 and HB 1864

Date: April 25, 2006

“You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 22: 20)

Although every nation has a right to regulate its borders and every state has a corresponding right to enact reasonable rules concerning eligibility for social services, education and similar programs, there is also a moral duty in light of our common humanity to recognize and respond to the needs of the strangers in our midst.

Even Jesus, Mary and Joseph became refugees or illegal aliens, fleeing their homeland to sojourn in Egypt. Abraham welcomed strangers who turned out to be messengers from God. We are a nation of immigrants and certainly not all of our grandparents and great grandparents had their “papers in order.” In debating SB 1250 and HB 1864 we urge you to recall the humanity of refugees and immigrants in our state no matter what their current legal status.

Our federal laws already prohibit colleges and universities from admitting illegal aliens. The colleges and universities already have procedures to ensure their students are legally in the country.

A more zealous pursuit of the “letter of the law” may “catch” a few more illegal aliens but this is not the most effective way to address the immigration challenges facing our state and nation. There are children who have lived in this country for most of their lives, attended high school in Missouri and now wish to attend one of our universities. Legally, they may be “illegal aliens” but they are also our fellow human beings.

At present there are millions of individuals living in this country who are not legal residents but who work and pay taxes, raise families and contribute to their local communities. What do we do about these individuals and families? Neither SB 1250 or HB 1864 provide an answer. In fact, our federal immigration laws should be revised to allow for an orderly and fair process whereby individuals who have lived in this country for a reasonable period of time and demonstrated responsibility can regularize their status and become U.S. citizens.