Catholic Church tries to change US immigration law

The Catholic Church has joined forces with other faiths to urge the American Government to change immigration law so that US-citizen children are better protected, reports the Catholic News Service.

During September and October, Catholic leaders will also be encouraging Catholic followers to support by joining the Tour of the Faithful. The Catholic Church is protesting against Government raids of workplaces in search of illegal immigrants because they feel it results in the “dislocation of US citizen children from their parents” said Bishop John Wester, Chairman of the bishops' Committee on Migration, during conference call to announce the 17-city Tour of the Faithful.

"The issue of immigration reform is receiving little attention in the presidential race, and negative attention in the media," he added. Through the Tour of the Faithful, he said, "we hope to lift our voices to call attention to this important issue in the days and weeks ahead so that a new president and new Congress can address these issues early in 2009," Bishop Wester added.

The US is the number one destination for migrants in the world, according to the recent OECD report; however, many lower-skilled workers arrive in America without a legal American visa. The Government has been conducting raids nation-wide in an attempt to curb the levels of illegal immigration.

The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in American visa and immigration services.

Article by Jessica Bird, American Visa Bureau.